A Remade Las Vegas Gears Up for F1 Weekend Amid Weather and Price Controversies and Canceled Practice Session
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Driving down Las Vegas Boulevard today looks a lot different than it did a few weeks ago. Obstructed are the many sights that bring 40 million-plus people to the city every year. There are no Bellagio Fountains to see, no showgirls and Elvises posing for pictures, no gondoliers in the canals of Venice and no flashing marquees advertising nightly residency shows. The iconic thoroughfare now transports its travelers into a scene out of Grand Prix the movie with fencing and race barrier walls ensconcing the multi-lane public road. All this as the Strip is in its final transformation to become the Las Vegas Strip Circuit for the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, which takes place on Saturday night, Nov. 18. Rigs with high-wattage lighting run the 3.8 mile course, which stretches from Koval Lane to Sands Avenue and down Las Vegas Boulevard to Harmon Avenue. Everywhere Las Vegas’ iconography has been replaced by imagery of hyper-realistic Formula 1 cars and brand campaigns proffered by the drivers promoting everything from watches to luggage to the tequila.
For brands aligned with or adjacent to the racing world, the Las Vegas Grand Prix represents massive sponsorship opportunities and a new platform with America’s burgeoning fanbase. But the half-billion dollar push to turn one of the world’s most visited tourist destinations into a massive stage for Formula 1 — an effort two years in the making — has not been without controversies amid the massive hype, brand flexes and jam-packed events schedule which already began to unfurl earlier this week.
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The Controversies
The Cold Weather
Several news stories surfaced in recent days calling into question whether F1 officials considered the temperature when planning a mid-November night race in the desert. The narrative was sparked by former Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn telling talkSPORT that temperature factor was not considered when designing the Las Vegas track. “Making the cars work at those temperatures will be a challenge. The tire supplier has done work to ensure that the tires can cope with this situation. Surely, we will face new challenges that we have never encountered before, but I think it will be spectacular,” he said.
The main race runs at 10 p.m. to capture not only the beauty of Las Vegas lit up at night but the morning-time European viewing audience. However, it should be noted that the coldest-ever F1 race took place in Montreal in 1978 at 41 degrees. It is expected to be about 57 degrees in Las Vegas on race night. Cold weather can affect the grip on the tires and the overall structure of the car.
“It’s cold. It is the coldest we’ve ever driven in,” Williams Racing driver Alex Albon told THR. He seemed unfazed though on how it will affect the race, expressing more concern on the roadway and light from the Sphere.
“I’ve done about 400 to 500 laps at this track [in the simulator]. We have a crew that came out and they scanned the track,” he says. “The track itself is going to be quite interesting,” noting that it seems “so bumpy,” compared to others even with extensive resurfacing. “The intersections are like roller coasters. In the turn at Sphere, the road sometimes is completely blue.”
To add to the concerns, ESPN reported later on Thursday that the first practice session was canceled due to a loose drain cover on the track.
Max Verstappen’s Dunk on Las Vegas
Some say excitement began to fizzle when star driver Max Verstappen succeeded in nailing down this year’s championship title in Qatar on Oct. 7. When asked to share his feelings on Las Vegas, Verstappen called the track “not very interesting” and said that the race would be “99 percent show, 1 percent sport.”
Hotel Room Rates Drop
Room and package rates have been a hot topic since they were revealed more than a year ago. From lavish multi-million dollar experiences to four-figure watch parties, the prices for the Las Vegas Grand Prix appear to be about three to four times higher than other cities, raising questions about price gouging.
The Las Vegas Review Journal reports that hotel room rates have fallen as much as 75 percent over the course of a year. Dr. Mehmet Erdem, professor of hotel operations and technology at UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, told the newspaper that rates drop when demand for room softens but it is not necessarily an indicator of a “decrease in anticipated revenue potential … judging by the pricing of venues and restaurants for the race weekend, the demand is going to be high and Las Vegas no longer has a slow weekend before Thanksgiving; at least not until the F-1 contract expires.”
It is bad news for those who got in early but could represent great deals for walk-up customers or those who will decide last minute to come.
CBS News found that race weekend has many hospitality rates at lower prices than a regular weekend in 2022 and many hotels outside the circuit but still on the Strip are now offering rooms at below $200 per night.
As of Nov. 16, StubHub showed single-day Grand Prix tickets starting at around $670 for Saturday and a three-day pass at around $788.
The Week of Parties and Brand Flexes
Even amid the controversies — which also include months of construction creating road closures and traffic which has upset and inconvenienced locals — the Las Vegas Grand Prix is estimated to bring more than 100,000 visitors to town and $1.3 billion, and already a slew of events have taken place.
Kicking off on Tuesday, Nov. 14, sponsorship activations were in full swing. The Netflix Cup pitted Drive to Survive F1 drivers against Full Swing PGA golfers for the streaming services first-ever live sporting event. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Justin Thomas won the trophy at Wynn Golf Club. The spectacle was hosted by comedian Bert Kreischer, PGA player Joel Dahmen, sports host Kay Adams and Marshawn Lynch. Mark Wahlberg, Blake Griffin, Steve Aoki and Collin Morikawa all made surprise appearances, as well as Patrick Mahomes via Zoom. There were even theme moments on various holes. The First Hole was known as the Lights Out Formula 1 and the Fifth Hole was named The Squid Game Hole – Red Light Green Light.
Also on Nov. 14, Mercedes-AMG Petronas drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, and team principal and CEO Toto Wolff, in partnership with IWC Schaffhausen watches took over the SpeedVegas racetrack and built a pop-up desert camp and entertainment venue. Mercedes-AMG showcased the GT Coupé, while IWC presented the new Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 collection. As Hamilton and Lewis drove the track, they were followed by a spectacular drone-supported light show. IWC officially launched the new collection with four performance chronographs in titanium and Ceratanium the day prior. McLaren driver Lando Norris and Tumi celebrated the Brit’s 24th birthday at the travel brand’s store in The Forum Shops with a cake in the shape of a suitcase. And Patron launched its Mexican Heritage Tin, designed by Red Bull Racing’s Sergio “Checo” Perez, at an invite-only dinner with actress Lupita Nyong’o.
The recently opened Sphere will debut live cued content, created by Sphere Studios, on its exosphere, throughout race weekend. The custom Grand Prix imagery includes real-time pole positions, podium celebrations and all 20 drivers and their cars. For the first-time, the Exosphere’s content was cued live in response to a live sporting event during The Netflix Cup at Wynn Golf Club. Brands such as American Express, Aristocrat, Aston Martin, Google Chrome, Netflix, Paramount+, Salesforce, T-Mobile and Virgin Hotels all have ads running on the globe. The race itself will travel around Sphere at turns five through nine.
For the opening ceremony Wednesday night, Nov. 16, broadcast on ESPN2 (produced by Brian Burke with lighting and set design by Tom Sutherland), the cloudy sky above the Pit Building, where many of the premium race experiences are centered including the garages, starting line and lavish hospitality suites, lit up with a drone show. A concert with Andra Day, Bishop Briggs, J Balvin, Journey, Keith Urban, Kylie Minogue, Steve Aoki, John Legend and Tiësto and will.i.am followed. Day tells The Hollywood Reporter that she became a fan of racing through her dad, who is from Detroit. She even took part in Ferrari’s Corso Pilota racing program in Florida. Day, who will release an album in March, recently collaborated with BJ The Chicago Kid on the song “Crazy Love” and with Robert Glaspar and Adam Blackstone on respective holiday music. In 2024, she will also be seen in Titus Kaphar’s Exhibiting Forgiveness and Lee Daniels’ The Deliverance with Glenn Close and Mo’Nique.
Formula 1 and Wynn hosted an official welcome party on Nov. 16 at the XS Nightclub with a performance by Marshmello and appearances by Formula 1 drivers and team principals (Toto Wolff, Christian Horner, Alessandro Alunni Bravi), Will.i.am and executives (Stefano Domenicali, Greg Maffei and Renee Wilm).
Read THR’s updating list of The Best Parties, Concerts and Events During Formula 1 Week.
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