As the uncertainty over McLaren’s impending double disqualification hung over the crisp Las Vegas air, one thing was in no doubt.
This is now the rightful home of modern Formula 1.
The sport is now as much, if not more, suited to Las Vegas than traditional venues such as Spa or Monza – there is a reason why a track like Imola is vanishing.
Virtues of history and tradition matter in sport; of course they do, more so than in many other walks of life. But things still must move with the times. The Football Association demolished the Wembley towers that had stood over England winning the World Cup, and cricket has embraced several shorter forms of the game to make it more accessible and bring in new crowds.
F1 did the same with the Sprint race – but its global scope has given it a unique chance to redefine itself. It is why the sport can now successfully operate in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Miami and Monaco – the last of which is the romantic residence of F1 and has a new contract to remain part of the show.
But Vegas should now be considered the jewel in the crown. Drivers and teams embrace the fabled glitz and glamour; special liveries, one-off helmet designs and a VIP guestlist that would rival any red carpet.
LEGO has been on the cutting edge of moving F1 forwards this year, starting with the driveable parade lap cars in Miami, to the podium trophies at Silverstone and onto Vegas, where a LEGO-built pink Cadillac drove the top three to the Bellagio.
Before they stepped out to receive their respective trophies, Disney’s own collaboration with Formula 1 truly got under way. We had seen Mickey, Minnie and their friends grace the grid over the course of the weekend – but now the world’s most famous mouse took over the Bellagio fountains with his ‘Fantasmic’ show seen at Disney parks across the world – with added F1 flair, of course.
Virtues of history and tradition matter in sport; of course they do, more so than in many other walks of life. But things still must move with the times.
But there were partners of all shapes and sizes activating in and around the grand prix – a Doritos human-claw competition? Hello Kitty strolling through the F1 Academy paddock? Google taking over the Sphere to celebrate its Gemini McLaren collaboration? Those things all happened in Vegas – because the brands want them to happen in Vegas.
Jack Whitehall, in his somewhat surprising role of compere, jokingly mocked the audience at the beginning of the F1 Business Summit – why would they turn down the other sights and sounds of Vegas for four hours in a conference room?
The first of its kind, the event at the Wynn Hotel brought together industry leaders to discuss F1’s growth across business, licensing and technology.
“We’re in such an exciting space in Formula 1 at the moment and we’re here in Vegas this weekend. Las Vegas is such a heart of entertainment,” F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said during his opening conversation at the summit.
“We want to deliver a better experience for everyone, better entertainment, better racing, of course, and better opportunity for the ones who believe that this is the right platform to invest.
“We want to deliver something unique. And Vegas will give us this opportunity. And we want to stay for a long time here.”
So, the answer to Whitehall’s tongue-in-cheek question is simple. The reason so many shunned the casinos, hospitality lounges and entertainment to hear experts across seven panels?
It is because Vegas is where F1 now does business better than anywhere else.
