Formula One to Hit Las Vegas in 2023 as Circuit Adds Third U.S. Race
One of the hottest events in the U.S. and around the world is coming to Las Vegas beginning in 2023, it was announced among the famous glitz of the Nevada city on Wednesday night.
The third Formula One Grand Prix auto race in the country will be staged during a weekend in November of 2023 on a 3.8-mile track running between the casinos and hotels of the Las Vegas strip, with speeds expected to reach as high as 212 miles per hour.
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It will follow Grand Prix races already scheduled this year in Miami (May 6-8) and Austin (Oct. 21-23).
F1 and Liberty Media will promote the event along with Live Nation Entertainment and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA).
“Iconic Las Vegas and Formula One, the pinnacle of motorsport, is the perfect marriage of speed and glamour,” said Greg Maffei, Liberty Media’s president and chief executive. “Our confidence in this unique opportunity is evident in our decision to assume the promoter role for the Las Vegas Grand Prix in partnership with Live Nation.”
F1’s popularity in the U.S. was punctuated earlier this month when tickets for the event in Austin sold out in a little more than 24 hours.
With 36 million fans, the U.S. represents one of F1’s fastest growing markets. Three-day attendance at last year’s U.S. Grand Prix in Austin of 400,000 set a new F1 record. The 1.2 million viewers on ESPN made it the most-viewed race since ESPN acquired F1 rights ahead of the 2018 season. So much purchasing enthusiasm was generated that the series added the Miami race to this year’s the calendar, and Las Vegas for next year.
The race in Miami Gardens will spin around Hard Rock Stadium, home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. It’s the first F1 race in Florida since 1959.
“This is an incredible moment for Formula One that demonstrates the huge appeal and growth of our sport with a third race in the U.S.,” said Stefano Domenicali, F1’s president and chief executive. “There is no better place for Formula One to race than in the global entertainment capital of the world and we cannot wait to be here next year.”
The race is slated to take place on a Saturday night with race cars whizzing past the neon lights of the strip while completing 50 laps on a track that will include three main straightaways and 14 corners.
The news comes on the heels of announcement by Oak View Group that the company will launch a $3 billion mixed use development in Las Vegas, including plans for a casino and a 20,000 seat arena capable of hosting an NBA team.
Founding partners Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts International and Wynn Las Vegas, along with presenting partners MSG Sphere, Resorts World Las Vegas and The Venetian Resort, will also help promote the event.
