The Las Vegas Grand Prix inauguration took place on November 18, 2023. It was a historic moment for F1 fans, drivers, and industry professionals.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix is only the second F1 Grand Prix to take place in Las Vegas. The first one took place decades ago before being canceled.
In 1981, the very first Las Vegas F1 Grand Prix was organized. It is commonly known and referred to as the Caesars Palace Grand Prix.
The Caesars Palace Grand Prix ran from 1981 to 1982. The races took place on a temporary street circuit built in the Caesar Palace Hotel’s car park.
The winners of the Caesars Palace Grand Prix were Alan Jones (’81) and Michele Alboreto (’82). However, no other F1 races took place in Las Vegas after 1982 and before 2023.
How did F1 manage to organize another race in Las Vegas, decades later? Why is this Grand Prix influential and beneficial for the city and its casinos?
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Why is the Las Vegas Grand Prix special?
This Grand Prix is special for all the reasons listed above. As we mentioned, it is the first F1 Las Vegas Prix of the century.
The last F1 Las Vegas races were part of the Caesars Palace Grand Prix of 1981 and 1982.
This new F1 Grand Prix is also special because it is the first time that racers compete on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip.
Racers and viewers see some of the city’s most famous landmarks via the Las Vegas Strip circuit. These include the small Eiffel Tower, famous casinos and hotels, and the Bellagio fountains.
For maximum effect, the Las Vegas Grand Prix takes place at night. This allows racers and viewers to witness the real Las Vegas and watch the city come to life.
The racetrack is more impressive than the 1981 and 1982 temporary street circuit in the Caesar Palace Hotel’s car park.
This new circuit is also exciting thanks to its length (6.201km), its 17 corners, its DRS zones, and its high-speed, long straights.
Formula One
There are several reasons why Formula One decided not to organize another F1 Las Vegas race after the 1982 Caesar’s Palace Grand Prix.
One of the main reasons was that Las Vegas casinos and hotels were reluctant to sign on. The races were not successful.
Audiences were not turning up to watch them, and drivers did not like the tight circuit set up the Caesar’s hotel car park.
The Caesar Palace Hotel ultimately lost a lot of money over the races. Because of this, many hotels and casinos were against a new F1 race.
Formula One had to convince the city’s casinos that, this time around, the races would be successful.
To advertise and promote the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix, Formula One pulled out the big guns. Instead of relying on local third-party companies, Formula One promoted the race itself.
It was the first time in its history that Formula One directly promoted a Grand Prix. And it worked.
The Grand Prix attracted millions of viewers. The new racetrack delighted drivers and fans alike.
Fans will be delighted to hear that the Las Vegas Grand Prix is back this year. Tune in on Sunday, 24 November 2024 to watch this iconic and historic F1 Grand Prix.
Benefits of Grand Prix and 2024 Las Vegas Races
The Grand Prix is great for Las Vegas and its casinos. The races attract millions of tourists who contribute to the city’s economy. Local hotels and casino resorts depend on events like these to survive. The race saw an increase in the number of people visiting the local casinos and even people playing live casinos online with sites like Virgin Games. Restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and tourism agencies benefit from them.
In other words, the entire city and its economy benefit from the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix. On top of that, the races give the city a good amount of media exposure.
The attention Las Vegas is getting can help city officials secure additional deals. It can help them partner with other major organizations to host global events.
Major deals and global events help the city boost its economy even further and attract even more local and international tourists.
In this article, we discussed the history behind the Las Vegas Grand Prix and some of the obstacles that F1 had to overcome to organize it.
We also discussed why the races are beneficial for the city of Las Vegas and which businesses grow thanks to it.
Don’t forget to watch the race on November 24!
