The Las Vegas GP debuted on the F1 calendar in 2023 as a flagship event in the United States, designed to exude unparalleled glamour. While F1 invested heavily to ensure its success and achieved significant financial gains, Helmut Marko believes it is failing.
For the inaugural race, F1 reportedly put in $500 million to set things up, which included the construction of a brand-new paddock. It was more than any figure the sport had spent on one particular race before, but the rewards were also massive.
The City of Las Vegas made over $1.5 billion from the 2023 edition of the race, with an average F1-related tourist in the Sin City spending three times more than a normal visitor would. For Marko, however, the issues lay on a deeper level.
“It’s not that great,” the Red Bull boss said to Osterreich. “It’s a crazy city, all those machines you have to pass through the hotel lobby, the race at night. Last year we were lucky that the race was great, but the event itself didn’t live up to expectations.”
Marko revealed how residents of the city are also not in favor of the Grand Prix because of the roads being cordoned off. “You have to take long detours everywhere,” the Red Bull Chief added.
Why locals dislike the Las Vegas GP
For an F1 fan, the location of the Las Vegas GP could not be any better. After all, the main straight down the Las Vegas Strip is one of the most recognizable places in the United States, maybe even in the world.
But for the locals, it is a nightmare. Commuting becomes difficult during weekends, with F1 routes blocking out the rest of the city. A small journey takes way too long to complete because of this cordoning, which Marko pointed out.
Sphere clearly enjoys F1 more than any other Vegas local pic.twitter.com/yLVd9u7327
— Las Vegas Locally (@LasVegasLocally) November 23, 2024
Plus, businesses suffer. Because F1 doesn’t want non-paying to get a view of the race, roads adjacent to the track’s layout are blocked off. This means shops, restaurants, and other businesses lose out on customers. The event continues to be a success despite the concerns cited by Marko and countless Las Vegas residents.
The main reason behind it is money, as it is arguably the most commercially appealing race on the calendar with celebrities from all over the world flying in. However, if F1 does not address the pressing concerns faced by locals soon, even the stars could choose to refrain from flying in for the Las Vegas GP.
