Onsite at the Las Vegas Grand Prix

We were onsite for nearly a week for the first edition of F1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix. Let’s chat through what the event was like from our eyes.

Event Standards
This set the new standard for an event. From Tuesday to Monday, it was all F1 all the time. Everyone brought their A+ game to promote and elevate the onsite experience. Let’s not forget that this is the first time that F1 (Liberty) has ever promoted and managed its own event. That makes this doubly impressive.

FP1/FP2's mishaps were a shame. No one expects that to happen at this level. It’s a shock to have a known issue like that delete an entire evening of running from the schedule.

Love for the Locals
We would love to see more attention paid to the local community. It was our 5th trip to Las Vegas in 2023, and each time it became more difficult to get around and somehow more expensive for basic things. For all those who benefitted massively from the event, I fear many folks only experienced the downsides. I did hear that many of the staff working in the casinos were rewarded with handsome tips and massive nights out - that is awesome.

Schedule
I am sure there was a lot of effort and consideration put into the schedule as it stood throughout the weekend. I don’t think it worked. It was brutal onsite, particularly if you were in the industry. Looking after guests at 2-3am is a concern when your day starts at 7 or 8 that morning. We were all glazed over.

There is an entire foundation that took the brunt of this i.e. the mechanics, service staff, cleaning crews, safety personnel and other essential workers. I’d love to see an adjustment of the event earlier in the evening to prioritize people spending thousands of dollars to be there.

Logistics
We were fortunate that we could walk from the Aria without issue. That’s not the case for many. I think a more comprehensive public transit solution could benefit so many here. Maybe a combo between monorail, Uber/Lyft/Taxi and buses. I wonder when The Boring Company will be ready to expand.

That said, we don’t remember ever waiting in line for anything. Major salute to the event staff for that.

Sponsorship Activation
Does it get much better? The content produced for the Sphere alone made most events look substandard. And there was so much more at every hotel, every corner, every restaurant and each unique hospitality zone. Endless opportunities, big and small, to engage any audience you may want to within F1. This was a masterclass from the branding and activation community - something we were thrilled by all weekend.

Great Racing
High speed, daring overtakes, lights out finishes - this race was a ton of fun to watch. I think that caught most by surprise as street circuits don’t always deliver those kinds of things. The overhead shots of racing on the Strip under the lights is hard to forget.

Wrapped until 2024
Las Vegas doesn’t do anything small. F1 doesn’t do anything small. Put them together, and it turns out it is a force to be reckoned with. Safe to say this pair put the world on notice with what can be done in sports and entertainment.