The Ultimate Guide to the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Las Vegas
Rev your engines and bring your appetite. There's a lot of stuff happening during Race Week, and some of it's actually affordable.
Formula 1, take two. The annual race officially known as the Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix returns this month, aiming to settle in and prove its something that locals, tourists, and auto fans will appreciate in equal measure.
Much of the hype feels front-loaded. There was more buzz in 2023, but more traffic and headaches. F1 and the Las Vegas Visitors & Convention Authority have used the inaugural year as a learning process and are making a point to be more fan-friendly, community-driven, and less intrusive to locals.
Most of the road work has been during overnight shifts to minimize disruptions. The construction of the pit building and initial paving work was already done last year. A highly scrutinized temporary bridge that crossed the track on Flamingo (prompting a lawsuit by businesses who say they lost millions) is smaller. Tickets are less expensive this year—a notable move to draw in locals as well as those flying in on private jets.
Now it's time to crawl across the finish line. The prep is almost over. The Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix is coming to Las Vegas for the second of 10 planned annual appearances. This year's edition will tell us a lot. Can Las Vegas learn to stop worrying and love F1? Here's your guide to Race Week in Las Vegas.
The lay of the land
If you're traveling from out of town, be prepared and don't rush. Harry Reid International Airport has laid out guidelines for the week of F1, warning travelers to give themselves extra time when coming and going (and if you get stuck in a terminal for a while, there's plenty to do and eat). High rollers will be flying private all week long, while JSX (which is kinda like a semi-private hybrid model) has flights to Vegas beginning at $239 without the hassle and long lines of a public airport.
Formula 1 officially runs three days: two late nights of practice runs November 21-22, and the Grand Prix itself November 23 at 10 pm. The Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli is new this year, taking place earlier in the evening as a support race to give fans more action.
The track covers 3.8 miles on Vegas streets, beginning and ending at the 300,000-square-foot pit building and paddock east of the Strip on the corner of Harmon and Koval. From there, competitors will zip down Koval, around the Sphere, and on Sands before turning on Las Vegas Boulevard with speeds reaching around 212 miles-per-hour on the straightaway and returning to Harmon. The full Grand Prix is 50 laps.
Work on this year's track began in early September with crews working day and night. The track will alternate between "warm" (open to limited public use) and "hot" (full-on race mode) during Race Week.
Parking will be limited and expensive. Rideshare services have designated pickup and dropoff locations near the Hughes Center, Tuscany Gardens, Virgin Hotels, Park MGM, and Allegiant Stadium. Getting to central Strip properties like the Cromwell, Caesars Palace, the Bellagio, and maybe even the Venetian could depend on access via the temporary vehicle bridge on Flamingo that crosses the track on Koval. You'll need to show proof of tickets or a room reservation while the track is hot.
Prepare for a lot of walking. Pedestrians can use temporary bridges at Flamingo and Koval (next to the vehicle bridge) and on Rochelle near the Sphere. Regular pedestrian bridges over the Strip will be open as usual, although F1 is being even more aggressive in discouraging those trying to watch the race from those vantage points. The Las Vegas Monorail, which runs east of the Strip, could be your best mode of stress-free transportation during F1 Weekend.
Watching the race in person
While last year's race felt like an indulgence for the one-percent, tickets for this year's edition—while not cheap—are noticeably more accessible. General admission bleacher seats begin at $99 (for practice laps) and are close to sold out. Seats remain for the South Koval Zone and a new Caesars Palace Experience package.
Grandstand tickets begin at $250 and are a step up with assigned seats, food, water, and soft drinks included. Seats are near the Sphere, the corner of Harmon and Las Vegas Blvd., and across from the Pit Building.
The Hospitality Suites have better views, better food, and booze. Club Paris has views of the track from the open-air rooftop terraces at Beer Park and Cheri nightclub inside the Paris casino. Guests will be able to roam between both venues and Alexxa's restaurant downstairs for a variety of food and drinks.
Skybox, a Rat Pack-inspired lounge with vintage vibes and cocktails, is one of three options in the East Harmon Zone near the Pit Building and Virgin Hotels. The Pit Building itself hosts the most high-end viewing areas, including experience curated by Gordon Ramsay and the Fontainebleau's Pappi Steak. The ultra-exclusive Paddock Club and Wynn Grid Club are back, along with the new LIV on the Grid, which is like a rooftop nightclub with bottle service.
If money is no object, you can feast on the food of Mario Carbone, Masaharu Morimoto, Wolfgang Puck, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and other celebrity chefs at the Bellagio Fountain Club. Spectators have the track on one side and Bellagio fountains on the other.
Restaurants, bars, and clubs with race views
While not part of the official grandstands or viewing suites, a few Vegas spots are taking advantage of prime locations, partnering up with F1 to give fans additional options to catch the action on the track.
Gilley's at Treasure Island, known for country music and BBQ, will have the windows open for views of the race from just 30 feet away. Admission includes access to food stations and a cash bar. (Earplugs included!)
Sushi Roku is once again throwing an F1 party with views of the track from the third floor of the Forum Shops at Caesars. Choose from a variety of packages and come hungry for sushi and other high-end Japanese cuisine.
Just like Sushi Roku, Giada has windows that open up to the Strip. So it only makes sense that the Cromwell restaurant is throwing a party to enjoy the race from a prime perch above the intersection of Las Vegas Blvd. and Flamingo. Cocktails and bites are included and $400 sounds like a great starting price when you consider the real estate.
Ocean Prime has amazing views of the Harmon corner of Las Vegas Boulevard, offering viewing packages with prime race night spots on the outdoor terrace. Want a Wagyu Tomahawk while watching F1? This is your place.
The Boulevard Pool at the Cosmopolitan has official viewing from its rooftop deck, featuring race simulators, Jefferson's whiskey, cigars, and more (beginning at $150).
Off-track watch parties
You don't need a view of the track to enjoy the race. Television is a great invention, after all. Take a dip in a heated pool at Stadium Swim on the rooftop deck at Circa and catch the action on the 143-foot video wall. You can bet the best sports bars in Vegas will be showing the Grand Prix, but Flanker seems especially fun, throwing a late-night viewing party with food discounts and the race on more than 50 TVs. Topgolf is right next to the track, allowing you to hear the engines rev in person, even if you can't see 'em. Book a driving bay and hit a few golf balls while enjoying the F1 action on more than 300 TV screens. Flight Club at the Grand Canal Shoppes allows you to shoot darts with open bar packages and views out the window of Turn 12. For the first time, the City of Henderson will host an official free watch party at the Water Street Plaza with giveaways and the chance to win tickets to the 2025 race.
Race Week booze and bites
No surprise–some of your favorite celebrity chefs and personalities are in town for tempting meals and dining events during Race Week. Gordon Ramsay is the special guest during a Trackside Lunch at Hell's Kitchen at Caesars Palace (Nov. 22, 11 am, $250).
Michael Mina presents a Remy Martin dinner at Bardot Brasserie at Aria (Nov. 21, 6 pm, $500) and Hundred Acre wine tasting experiences at Michael Mina at the Bellagio (Nov. 21-23, seatings 4:30-9 pm, $450).
Nobu at Paris has a six-course tasting menu with Suntory (Nov. 21, 4 pm, $500), while Nobu at Caesars Palace offers a similar experience in a more intimate setting the following night. (Nov. 22, 5 pm, $500). Masaharu Morimoto presents a five-course omakase at Morimoto at the MGM Grand (Nov. 21-22, seatings 5-8 pm, $250).
Louis XIII tasting dinners take place at Peter Luger (Nov. 22, 5 pm, $400) and Restaurant Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace (Nov. 23, 6 pm, $1000). Both restaurants are inside Caesars palace.
Bugsy & Meyer's at the Flamingo has a Sinatra Dinner with Jack Daniel's (Nov. 21, 5 pm, $250). Another steakhouse, Station Social Prime at Caesars Palace, has a four-course Wagyu & Whiskey dinner at Caesars Palace (Nov. 23, 5 p.m., $300).
Resorts World invites Miami's Giselle for a pop-up brunch at FUHU (Nov. 23, seatings 12-2:30 pm, $99) and unleashes Indulge on the AYU pool deck. The food festival features top chefs and restaurants from throughout the country (Nov. 23, 1:30 p.m., $149).
There's even a culinary residency of sorts during F1 week. Nammos, the iconic seaside restaurant for Mediterranean cuisine in Mykonos, is taking over Bellagio's Mayfair Supper Club through Nov. 24 with a heavy focus on seafood flown in fresh daily.
Race Week Pop-Up Fun
Formula 1 appears to be taking a cue from the Super Bowl, which offered plenty of cool things for the general public in Las Vegas last year, whether you had tickets to the game or not.
An official free fan experience on the Strip is already fully booked, but you can still check out The Pit Stop at Resorts World, November 22-23, 5 pm–1 am at Resorts World. The free celebration has racing simulators, activations, and food available from some of the resort's best restaurants.
The Palms is hosting a free afternoon Q&A with Guenther Steiner, former HAAS team manager, inside Ghostbar at 2 pm.
Jack's Garage takes over On the Record at the Park MGM, featuring music by T-Pain, local eats, and Jack Daniel's cocktails.
Celebrate like champion racers do by drinking out of a shoe. The Shoey Bar is at the Fountain Courtyard at Bellagio November 21-23 with one-of-a-kind cocktails, music, and photo ops.
Stop by the Venetian Grand Colonnade to see a BWT Alpine show car on display, Aria for a Mercedes Race Experience in the lobby, New York-New York for a Williams Racing pop-up in front of the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Cosmopolitan for the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team Show Car and Memorabilia Display.
Yet the biggest pop-up is an all-new concept that isn't directly affiliated with F1, but is taking place the same weekend with the support of Las Vegas and Clark County. The Neon City Festival is a free three-day event throughout Downtown with acts like Neon Trees, the All-American Rejects, and Alison Wonderland performing on four stages with food trucks, art installations, and nightly fireworks. It's a new idea to shine a spotlight on Downtown and bring some business to an area that is somewhat neglected when F1 is in town.
Spirits to remember F1
When the Grand Prix is finally over, the winner won't be sprayed with celebratory champagne. It will be Ferrari Trento, the official sparkling wine of all Formula 1 Grand Prix events. Taste it for yourself by visiting the Ferrari Trento Lounge inside the Four Seasons or buy a bottle at Total Wine. Volcan de mi Tierra is the official tequila partner of Formula 1 in Las Vegas with the agave spirit featured in cocktails at the Paddock Club. A limited-edition Volcan X.A. inspired by Vegas makes for a great gift, especially if you want to brag about being at F1. Even WhistlePig Whiskey is getting in on the act with its Piggyback Rye: Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber Single Barrel. The Wynn is once again hosting a Louis XIII cognac pop-boutique that's open to the general public (next to the McLaren Experience, which is a popular detour for F1 fans) with appointments available. It's the only place to get the latest rare cask too.
Whatever your choice, make sure to enjoy a toast to F1, the event that continues to reshape Las Vegas—at least for eight more years to come.