Formula 1 + Las Vegas: A Winning Combination

EDIT: The official race announcement has been made and the track design released. We can't take full credit for the event, but obviously this article helped sway some minds.

There's no doubt about it; after decades of trying, Formula One is finally breaking through in the United States, with interest growing all across the country. The return of the U.S. Grand Prix in 2012 at the brand new Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX, remains a certifiable success as sell-out crowds descend on the venue. Demonstrating the hunger American that fans have for the sport, Miami will host its inaugural event in 2022, too. All of which raises the question... when will Formula One race in Las Vegas?

F1 visited the city some 40+ years ago, with two Caesars Palace Grands Prix in 1981 and 1982 acting as season finale events. Without a dedicated racetrack and unable to race on the city streets, the 24 cars had to do battle on a parking lot. But even fabulous Las Vegas can't make a parking lot shine, and the temporarily converted Caesars Palace Hotel grounds wouldn't see Formula One return again.

Things have changed a lot since the 80s. The timing for Las Vegas to play host to the pinnacle of motorsport has never been better. The impressive development of The Strip has transformed the city, putting safe, family-friendly fun at the forefront of every trip. As Netflix hooks more and more people with its excellent documentary series Formula One: Drive to Survive, combining the two entities makes perfect sense. A weekend in Sin City to watch your favorite TV show live with your friends or family? Sign me up! 

From F1's side, too, everything is different. New ownership has revolutionized the sport's branding, digital presence, and, most crucially, its direction with the new circuits it visits. The calendar expansion now sees F1 visiting 23 venues in 2022 – that's over 50% more than the 15 races the championship staged back in 1981. And there's a type of track that the new owners prefer when looking at the additions of Miami, Jeddah, and the Hanoi tracks. F1 is turning to cities and street circuits in its revamped future.

Bringing fans closer to the action is what Formula One is about these days. While you and I can't sit next to Lewis Hamilton as he rockets by at 200mph, we can engross ourselves in a city that creates a festival-like atmosphere over a long weekend. Promotional events, autograph signings, outdoor theaters, entertainment acts, and even the simplest things like facepaint and themed menus at restaurants create a unique character in a city. All that's needed are energized fans and thousands of hotel beds for them to sleep in. Can you think of anywhere better suited for this than Las Vegas?

If you're still not convinced, then consider the prospect of what the sport itself brings. In 2021, Max Verstappen took the world championship title ahead of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton on the very last lap of the season after entering the final round level on points. It was the fiercest and closest championship duel in recent memory. Keep that intensity in mind when you learn that regulations for 2022 have one single philosophy – to make the racing even closer. It truly is, as the F1 marketing team calls it, engineered insanity.

The obvious question behind any suggestion of Formula One racing in Las Vegas is where would they stage such an event? I'm sure Ceasars Palace would welcome the international attention F1 brings, but ground-level parking lots aren't so easy to come by these days in Sin City. Undoubtedly, the target would have to be The Strip. Seeing the most technologically advanced machines screaming past the Bellagio fountains, The Volcano at The Mirage, and the Paris Balloon is mouthwatering.

Unfortunately, the disruption this would cause for the collection of hotels there would, ironically, be far too problematic. Not to mention the basic requirement for corners to go with such a long straight! A dedicated racing facility, such as at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, could work, but it would require work to be up to F1's high standards. The course is also way out of the city center and easy to miss if you're not a petrolhead, thus not fulfilling Formula One's desire to stage a city-wide takeover.

So why not some streets nearby to The Strip with just a little bit of the iconic road instead? To keep the high-speed challenge that Formula One is all about, mixing straights with sweeping corners and hard braking zones is essential. Joe W Brown Drive, which sits between the Las Vegas Convention Center and The Las Vegas Country Club, is a perfect location for this. The three left-right kinks here echo a longer version of famous Maggots and Becketts corners of Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix. 

Head north until going westbound onto East Sahara Avenue and then a short dash down onto The Strip at another left, giving those staying in The STRAT Hotel an unrivaled top-down view of the cars. A hard braking zone in front of Circus Circus will be sure to cause overtaking opportunities before heading east on Elvis Presley Boulevard. A 90-degree right onto South Paradise Road will serve as the start/finish straight, with the conveniently-positioned Convention Center parking lot for the pit lane. East Desert Inn Road then links this theoretical Turn 1 to the snaking Joe W Brown section once more.

There are a dozen more potential circuits you might think up, too. But, by this point, I'm sure you'll agree that modern-day Formula One racing at a Las Vegas Grand Prix just makes sense. We know the sport is considering Las Vegas, so here's hoping it's only a matter of time. Vegas is ready for you, F1; come and join the fun.