“Surprised to see so many people around the track”: 7-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton dazzles fans with donuts during Las Vegas GP launch party

Next year’s Las Vegas GP promises to be one of the most glamorous races in recent F1 history. Every single driver is looking forward to traveling to the ‘Sin City’ for the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix, including 7-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton.

A year before the inaugural race kicks off, fans got a taste of what the spectacle may look like. F1 teams and drivers took to the famous Las Vegas strip on Saturday for the race’s launch party. The likes of Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and Sergio Perez drove around the streets of Vegas, promoting the event as it draws closer.

Hamilton in particular was surprised to see the number of fans who turned up to the track. F1 as a sport is rapidly growing in the US and hosing a race in a city as famous as Las Vegas will be a huge commercial boost for F1 and Liberty Media.

The fans who were in attendance at the Las Vegas strip on Saturday were treated to Hamilton performing donuts on his F1 car and also the Mercedes AMG safety car!

Also read: “I was warming the tires” – Max Verstappen explains his qualifying saving 360º spin during the British Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton thanks fans who showed up at the Las Vegas GP launch party

Over the last few years, the United States of America has become one of the biggest markets for F1. Until 2021, we had just a single race in American held at COTA in Austin, Texas. 2022 saw the debut of the Miami GP and also the announcement of Vegas hosting a race in 2023.

This means that next year we will see three races in the US, which will be the most for any country on the calendar.

At the Las Vegas GP launch party on Saturday, Hamilton was surprised to see the number of fans who showed up. Ticket sales for next year’s inaugural race have already gone live, so it’s expected that there will be a huge number of fans at the actual race as well.

“It’s a surprise to see so many people here,” Hamilton said. “Thank you to everyone who had come out here even from Austin. We love the support.”

Also read: Max Verstappen talks about 103-GP winner Lewis Hamilton’s lock-up in 2021 Azerbaijan GP

Hamilton performs donuts on W13 and Mercedes AMG safety car

Drivers performing donuts as part of a promotional event is very common in F1. Two weeks ago, we saw Sergio Perez drive his Red Bull around the streets of Guadalajara (his home town) and treat fans to donuts ahead of the Mexican GP.

However, watching these legendary drivers take to the Las Vegas strip for the same was exhilarating for spectators. Hamilton ended up performing donuts not just on his W13, but also on the Safety Car!