Las Vegas: A Weekend That Doesn’t Fully Convince
More than a year after the official announcement of the return of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the ‘capital of gambling’ is finally on the verge of hosting the series after 41 years, and it will do so on the city track of the Strip that runs alongside all the luxury hotels and casinos in the city. An event clearly focused on show and entertainment, even more so after the Constructors‘ and Drivers’ World Championships respectively won by Red Bull and Max Verstappen. However, for the ‘purists’ of F1, the nighttime event (with accompanying controversies about the low temperatures expected for the weekend) is not particularly anticipated.
Bernie Ecclestone Among the Opponents
Together with the current world champion, who has defined the weekend as more focused on the show than the race itself, former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone also did not seem particularly enthusiastic about the venue for the penultimate event of the season. Yet, in the founding year of the FOM (created by the English entrepreneur and dating back to 1981), the sport made its absolute debut in Las Vegas on the Caesars Palace circuit, only to exit the scene after the 1982 edition.
Two Different Realities
The 93-year-old, interviewed by NOS, was nevertheless very critical of the upcoming weekend: “I’m not very eager,” he said. “Why? It has nothing to do with Formula 1.” At the same time, Ecclestone still complimented F1 and Liberty Media for expanding the category internationally, continuing what was the project initiated by the British entrepreneur when he was at the helm of the Circus: “I am happy that this sport continues to develop worldwide,” he continued. “I was the one who brought Formula 1 out of Europe and into the rest of the world. We are competing for a world championship, not a European championship, and it’s good that things remain this way.” – the former chief executive of the Formula One Group concluded, ahead of the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
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