Haas team principal Guenther Steiner expects this week’s highly anticipated Las Vegas Grand Prix to deliver a “cool” experience to competitors and fans alike, but the event will also “set a standard” for Grand Prix racing’s future.
Formula 1 is rolling into the entertainment capital of the world this week with the hope of creating a spectacle that will capture the imagination of fans everywhere and leave a lasting legacy that will help further grow the sport in the US and globally.
The achieve this, F1’s commercial rights holder Liberty Media has invested heavily in its Vegas residency in terms of both infrastructure, marketing, and entertainment.
The 6.2-kilometer circuit, featuring 17 turns, will see drivers speed around renowned landmarks such as Caesars Palace, the Bellagio, and the Venetian, while top speeds of up to 340 km/h are expected on the 1.8-kilometer section of the city’s famed Strip.
This week’s nocturnal extravaganza will be a far cry from the boring broad daylight procession staged forty years ago in the parking lot of the Caesar’s Palace Hotel, but the stakes are also much higher for F1 this time around given the level of investment shared by the sport and the city.
“I think we all have an expectation, but we know what Las Vegas is about,” said Steiner.
“It’s hard to imagine exactly what it will be like, but it will be a very cool event and something completely different from anything done before in Formula 1.
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“To put such effort into racing in a city like Las Vegas is challenging, to say the least, and to make it happen a few years ago was impossible to think about, let alone say.
“Let’s see what it will be like, but it will surely set a standard for a lot of things in the sport going forward.”
Las Vegas becomes the third United States-based race for Formula 1, joining Austin's Circuit of The Americas and the Miami International Autodrome.
Steiner reiterated his belief that each event brings its own distinct and valuable experience to the sport’s agenda.
“I think it’s fantastic to have three races in the States, especially as the American team,” he added. “Five or 10 years ago, who’d have thought that we’d have more than one race in the US.
“Now we’ve got three and they’re all very different events – as they would be if we were racing in different continents, not just country.
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“I think it’s good for Formula 1 and the American fans who are coming more to watch and support.
“The standout point for me is the difference between each race. You go to Austin, which is a more ‘traditional’ race with lots of hardcore fans, and then you go to Miami where it’s party central, and then let’s see what Vegas brings.
“We know it won’t ever be sleeping and we’re racing at night, which is completely different again.”
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