Could A Formula 1 Race Finally Return To Las Vegas?

Multiple reports suggest that Formula 1 (F1) racing may soon be coming to Las Vegas as deep negotiations are underway between Las Vegas and F1.

Reports indicate that Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak and the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority have been in talks with F1 officials for months. Furthermore, F1 executives have made several trips to Las Vegas.

Apart from the race happening at night on the Vegas Strip, there aren’t many specifics available.

Should a deal be finalized, Las Vegas would host the third F1 race in the US, in addition to those in Austin, TX, and Miami, FL.

Racing around the Vegas Strip

Although Las Vegas Boulevard may provide a stunning backdrop, it would likely be more practical for cars to race both on and off the Vegas Strip.

The race, tentatively named the Las Vegas Grand Prix, is rumored to pass by some of the most iconic locations on the Vegas Strip such as the Bellagio fountains.

Interestingly, the NHL recently held a skills competition on the very fountains in front of Bellagio during All-Star Weekend. This coming April, the NFL Draft will also use the iconic fountains as the venue for its red carpet event.

A potential Las Vegas race was discussed last year by a European F1 writer, who shared the following:

The plan envisages the track passing by the renowned dancing fountains at the Bellagio Casino and extending about a mile up The Strip to Wynn Las Vegas. By examining the maps, one can speculate that it may likely include the High Roller observation wheel and the MSG Sphere, which is presently under construction. The primary condition for success is to cause as little disruption as possible on The Strip, ideally confining it to the erection of barriers, debris fences, and lights for the night race, thus preventing a significant disturbance to traffic flow.

Shutting down sections of the Vegas Strip could potentially result in logistical chaos. Nonetheless, such occurrences are likely to increase in frequency as the city, state, and local businesses consider hosting revenue and publicity-generating events more often.

Closing the Vegas Strip

Those attempting to drive, both locals and tourists, will face a few hours of inconvenience on a bustling weekend. However, this will prove beneficial for hotel operators who will make a significant profit from visitors who spend the weekend staying in hotels, dining, drinking, and gambling.

Since 1999, non-gaming revenue has surpassed gambling revenue on the Vegas Strip. Both revenue streams could potentially get a boost from hosting an F1 race.

Many visitors in Las Vegas for the race are sports fans who will likely place bets on events such as the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The idea of cars swiftly moving on and off the strip would be logical in numerous ways. It would provide stunning nighttime visuals of the Vegas Strip for TV producers. Furthermore, considering that most pedestrians navigate the Vegas Strip via bridges, this would allow visitors to get around effortlessly.

Fans would have the opportunity to observe cars speeding past as they strolled from one casino to another. Below is a video demonstrating the potential visuals of a race. Apart from the touristic scenes, the intense sight of cars rushing through different casino Porte cochere’s would be a highlight.

According to @A_S12, Formula 1 is in the process of negotiating a deal to introduce a night race on The Las Vegas Strip, potentially as soon as next year.

The third US race would be in Las Vegas, Nevada, following Austin, Texas and Miami, Florida.

In America, the demand for F1 is continually growing stronger. pic.twitter.com/jeCDevAxKs

This was tweeted by Joe Pompliano on January 28, 2022.

Caesars Palace Grand Prix

Las Vegas isn’t entirely unfamiliar with an F1 race, although it’s been decades since such a race took place in the city.

In the 1980s, Caesars Palace hosted several F1 races. Back then, the casino was considerably smaller and possessed a parking lot at the rear. This space served as the location for a comparatively petite race track, set up by race organizers for the Caesars Palace Grand Prix.

The race was designed to attract high-stakes gamblers similar to the Monaco Grand Prix. Regrettably, the track lacked the expected glitz and glamour associated with the new Las Vegas Grand Prix. The race circuit, situated behind Caesars Palace, barely reflected the essence of Las Vegas.

The duration of the Caesars Palace Grand Prix was rather short, with only two F1 races being hosted by Caesars Palace. After a redesign of the track, a few more Indy Car CART races were held. However, due to lack of popularity, Caesars lost enthusiasm and decided to discontinue the races.

When will we know if F1 racing will come to Nevada?

Rumors about F1 returning to Las Vegas have been circulating for years. The comprehensive coverage of the potential race might indicate that these speculations about F1 coming to Las Vegas could finally be accurate.

Insiders suggest that a race in Las Vegas could be confirmed by this summer and could potentially occur as early as 2025 or 2025.