For months, the prospect of the grand prix had been generating sentiments of both fear and loathing among Las Vegas' residents, who had seen their town torn up and clumsily reorganised around the temporary circuit. Fear and loathing in Las Vegasīeyond the kitsch confines of the circuit, F1 was facing another image problem. It was shortly after the opening ceremony that Verstappen - a longtime cynic of F1's plans to race in Las Vegas - made his "99 percent show" comment, adding that he was made to feel "like a clown" as he stood and waved from a neon-lit stage alongside Red Bull teammate Sergio Pérez. Kylie Minogue and John Legend performed on the pit straight under a drone show, while F1's 20 drivers were presented to a half-empty grandstand via trapdoors in one of five raised stages on the circuit. Sky boxes with views over the team garages came at the slightly more modest $8,000 to $13,000 per head, but the VIP experience was questionable when guests were greeted by static-inducing red polyester carpets and tacky furnishings that promised, but didn't quite deliver on, an "old Vegas" vibe.Īlong with the expectation of three days of track action (more on that later), the VIP suites offered the best view of a lavish opening ceremony. Formula One, acting as a race promoter for the first time in its history, did the vast majority of cheerleading, hyping the race at every opportunity to anyone who would listen.Īverage ticket prices hit a record asking price of $1,667, including one package that sold for $50,000 per head to access a VIP suite above Turn 1. The stakes had become dizzyingly high in the months preceding the race. Deliver a dud and serious questions would be asked.Įarlier in the weekend, world champion Max Verstappen had labelled the grand prix "99 percent show and 1 percent sport" in one of a series killer lines, seemingly aimed at the jugular of the event.Īnd while there was an awful lot of truth in Verstappen's statement, it was the sport of F1 racing - 1 percent or otherwise - that meant its owners finished up on the huge fortune it had sank into the event. In the days leading up to main event, the focus had been on overinflated ticket prices, disgruntled locals and angry fans, but in the form of a 50-lap grand prix against one of racing's most spectacular backdrops, F1 had one last roll of the dice.ĭeliver a thriller to match the hype and all the disruption to the city and issues along the way could be somehow justified. Transforming the entertainment capital of America into a 3.8-mile racetrack was never going to be straightforward, and after a stuttering start, it felt like F1's $500 million gamble to return to Las Vegas might be a busted flush. How F1 rode its luck to win big in Las Vegasįormula One undoubtedly rode its luck during its four-day residency in Las Vegas yet somehow broke with the city's oldest tradition and came out on top. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser
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