“The track in the Caesars Palace parking lot was very different than what we plan to do here. But it’s all part of the legacy and incredibly rich history that Formula 1 has,” said chief organizer Renee Wilm ahead of the penultimate Grand Prix of the year on Sunday (7:00 a.m. CET).
They now want to set a whole new standard for the fan and customer experience on a racing weekend, said Wilm, who is actually head of the legal department at Formula 1 rights holder Liberty Media. The media company has now also entrusted them with organizing this important race.
APA/AFP/Getty Images/Ethan Miller Renee Wilm is confident about the race
Difficult starting position
This time the Grand Prix takes place past the famous hotel complexes on Las Vegas Boulevard, the Strip. There were enough problems in the run-up to the spectacular project in the players’ paradise. The project, which cost the equivalent of around 460 million euros, was under immense time pressure, one had to come to terms with the demanding neighborhood, and a strike by employees in the hotel and restaurant industry was only averted at short notice. In addition, traffic around the city center circuit will temporarily come to a standstill during the Grand Prix weekend.
Getty Images/RooM RF/RebeccaAng The Strip becomes a Formula 1 stage
Not least because of this, the Formula 1 management apologized to the annoyed residents. “I would like to apologize to all residents of Las Vegas. We appreciate your forbearance and willingness to tolerate us,” said the CEO of rights holder Liberty Media, Greg Maffei.
A city is paralyzed
Wilm is also aware that Formula 1 is shaking things up in the city. “You have to remember that you’re essentially shutting down a city that’s operating 24 hours a day, you’re closing down a lot of business, including 60,000 hotel rooms. The amount of traffic planning, security planning and general logistical planning required to organize this event was truly monumental,” explained Wilm.
The new race track in downtown Las Vegas
“There is no script for what we are doing here. This is truly a unique event. We are all 100 percent committed to making this event as spectacular as possible.”
Traffic flow in particular will be a challenge – not least for the numerous employees in the service sector who commute to work. The closed strip and the closure of almost five kilometers of public roads create a kind of island for Formula 1. No expense or effort was spared to get to this island. “We had to build temporary bridges, which are very expensive and caused logistical problems during their construction,” said the chief organizer.
Ecclestone’s dream comes true
For now 93-year-old former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, it’s a late dream come true. “I also wanted us to drive on the Strip back then. I wanted to make sure that when people turned on the television they knew we were driving in Vegas and not in the desert.”
IMAGO/Simon Galloway Bernie Ecclestone has always been concerned with the appeal of Formula 1
But he himself wouldn’t bet any money that the Formula 1 venue is here to stay – also because of the much higher pricing policy than at the other US races in Miami and Austin.
Ecclestone also highlighted the completely changed status compared to 40 years ago. “Back then, no one in America knew Formula 1. Netflix has changed a lot and so have the people who bought Formula 1.” Liberty Media acquired the commercial rights in 2017, and the very successful documentary series “Drive to Survive” has also brought a surge in popularity in the USA and worldwide.
2023-11-16 22:11:17
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