As the weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix approaches, race chief executive Renee Wilm sat down with Sky Sports F1 to discuss the event’s inception. The return of F1 to Vegas began in 2021, thanks to the popularity surge driven by Netflix’s Drive to Survive and an intense title battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in the USA. Liberty Media, the American owners of F1’s commercial rights, were considering ways to capitalize on this momentum, leading to the confirmation of the first Miami Grand Prix and the plan for the return of the Las Vegas Grand Prix in March of 2022.
A major challenge was gaining buy-in from the city’s regulators and property owners to host the event. However, the anticipated $1.2 billion in economic value and the prospect of catering to an all-star crowd helped to convince key figures to agree to the unprecedented disruption. The event itself aims to provide a new level of fan engagement and entertainment, with plans for non-alcoholic food and beverages catered by Wolfgang Puck and VIP hospitality opportunities.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix is expected to bring new energy to the F1 calendar, blending Vegas glamour with high-speed racing, and promises to be a historic event. As the race start times have been pushed later for European audiences’ convenience, the event is sure to draw attention from around the globe.
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