Las Vegas Grand Prix expected to grow Formula 1 popularity in America

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - The Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix will make its debut in November.

Racing through the Las Vegas Strip, it will be an experience like the city has never seen before.

“Las Vegas is the sports capital of the world, the entertainment capital of the world and that’s where F1 wants to be,” Autosport Formula 1 reporter Luke Smith said.

Reaching speeds of 212 mph, the Strip will be the center of the international racing world in late November.

Racing single seater sports cars, Formula 1 travels to different countries and continents. The sport often builds circuits on closed public roads, like Las Vegas will have around yhe Strip later this year.

“It just seems American interest is growing,” Smith said. “It’s kind of going from the point of view where you’d have to explain to your average American fan what F1 is to, ‘oh I’ve watched Drive to Survive or I’ve heard it’s in Las Vegas’. That kind of knowledge is how it’s built up.”

The Netfilx Show ‘Drive to Survive’ gives a behind-the-scenes look at the sport and its personalities. It has helped kick start the popularity in the United States.

The U.S. will be the only country to host three F1 races during the 2023 season. There will also be stops in Miami and Austin.

American automakers like Ford and General Motors are getting into the Formula 1 space too.

“So many American companies want to get into F1 one way or another,” Smith said. “Whether its sponsoring someone or setting up their own team.”

Clark County has a three-year contract with F1, but county commissioners have agreed to the required road closures to hold the event in November for the next decade.

“It is my belief that their commitment to us is every bit as strong as our commitment to them,” Clark County Commissioner Jim Gibson told FOX5.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix in November is projected to pour over $1 billion into the Las Vegas economy, which doubles the estimated impact of next year’s Super Bowl in Vegas.

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