The presentation ceremony of the Las Vegas Grand Prix in “Super Bowl” mode divides the drivers
Formula 1 has mobilized significant resources to organize the race in Las Vegas. On this occasion, a special ceremony, which sparked divergent opinions among the drivers, was set up.
After months of announcements, Formula 1 will finally race in Las Vegas. For this third Grand Prix of the season in the United States, the Las Vegas race promises to be epic: a Super Bowl-style ceremony (which took place on Wednesday night), racing through the restricted neighborhoods of the casino city… As has been the case for several seasons, Grand Prix races in the United States are organized as a spectacle.
If the initial goal is primarily to please a new audience, on the pilots’ side, this type of format divides. Max Verstappen, on his part, clearly was not impressed by the opening ceremony on Wednesday night. “For me, you can all skip these things,” said the Red Bull driver. “It’s not about the singer, it’s just about being up there, you look like a clown.”
Significant means employed
On the other side, Fernando Alonso understands the enthusiasm and preparations dedicated to Las Vegas. In order to organize this event, significant resources have been put in place. The track’s chicane has been customized and the race has been scheduled to take place at night in order to take advantage of the dazzling spectacle of the casinos’ lights. In order to host this soirée, F1 has spent over $500 million (≈ €459,590,000).
« “I think that places like this, with the investment that has been made and where we race, deserve a slightly different treatment with some additional spectacle,” said Alonso. « “We can get more involved in this kind of events.”
Leclerc understands the intention
This type of “American-style” ceremony had already been elaborated during the Miami Grand Prix 2023. The United States is fond of this kind of events, and in a country where this sport is booming, it is an opportunity to introduce it to a larger audience. « It’s a lot, but I think that if you don’t do it here, you won’t do it anywhere else », justified Charles Leclerc. « Formula 1 must seize every opportunity that arises. And if that means creating a bit more spectacle around the race, it’s incredible. It might attract people who are not initially interested in racing, but once they see the cars in real life, they’ll become interested. »
However, the Ferrari driver brings a nuance to this kind of event. Drivers need time to concentrate before the race. Therefore, these ceremonies must take place before getting into the cars. “There is a line not to be crossed,” he added. “Today is Wednesday, so it’s good that we have this opening ceremony and all that. Then, 10 minutes before getting into the car, that’s when we need to be in our zone and not be disturbed by everything happening around the race, so it must be protected. From the warm-up laps to the grid, we should be left alone, so that we can focus on the race itself.”
The objective of this ceremony was, among other things, to compete with the one that will take place during the Super Bowl, also in Las Vegas, in three months.
