From binge-worthy drama to a permanent place on the Strip, Formula 1 is cementing its future in America with a year-round experience built for every kind of fan.
The shimmer of the Strip has long been synonymous with spectacle, but now, Las Vegas invites guests to step beyond the velvet ropes and into the pit lane. In a city that reinvents indulgence at every turn, the newest marquee attraction doesn't revolve around a headliner or a high-stakes table — it centers on horsepower.
The Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix Plaza is a year-round, immersive fan experience that marks the sport's first-ever permanent presence in North America. Unveiled just months after the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix tore through the neon-lit streets of Sin City, this state-of-the-art paddock facility is a living, breathing destination for fans, open all year.
“Grand Prix Plaza represents a significant investment in the future of Formula 1 in Las Vegas,” said Emily Prazer, President and CEO of Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc. and Chief Commercial Officer for Formula 1. “These new attractions will offer unprecedented access to F1, giving many fans their first up-close look at a Formula 1 car before stepping into a racing simulator or even karting on a portion of the Las Vegas Strip Circuit.”
The sprawling 100,000 sqft permanent F1 Paddock opens on May 2, marking another notch in the city's evolution into a global sports tourism powerhouse. Going beyond race week, this is an invitation for fans — from casual observers to seasoned petrolheads — to go behind the scenes of the world's most glamorous motorsport at any time of year.
In true Vegas fashion, the Grand Prix Plaza is an equal parts interactive museum, luxury hospitality venue, and adrenaline-fueled playground. Guests test their reflexes on racing simulators, design their dream F1 car, and strike a victory pose on the authentic podium where champions once stood.
One of the plaza's features is the chance to witness pit stop challenges up close — an experience usually reserved for the elite with race weekend access. Here, it's an everyday attraction. Visitors can browse official team merchandise at the expanded retail hub or sip champagne, overlooking what has quickly become motorsport's most iconic street circuit.
“Grand Prix Plaza is one of the jewels of F1 in North America, and we know it will provide access and experiences that will grow the sport's fan base,” Prazer added. “As part of our steadfast commitment to Las Vegas, we are thrilled to offer significantly discounted pricing to locals so that Grand Prix Plaza is an easily accessible community asset all year long.”
Sin City Is Now the Center of American Sports
In less than a decade, Las Vegas has rapidly transformed into a premier hub for professional sports in the United States, reshaping both its identity and economic landscape.
The shift began in 2017 with the arrival of the Vegas Golden Knights, the city's first major professional franchise, and a spark that ignited a sports revolution on the Strip. The National Hockey League's expansion team quickly captured the community's heart with its fairy-tale inaugural season and won the Stanley Cup championship six years later, in 2023.
In 2020, the Las Vegas Raiders debuted in the National Football League (NFL), playing home games at the state-of-the-art Allegiant Stadium. The venue hosts NFL games and is a multipurpose facility for concerts and other large-scale events. Las Vegas solidified its commitment to football when it hosted Super Bowl LVIII in 2024, the most-watched telecast in history.
Basketball has also found a home in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Aces, representing the city in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), have achieved remarkable success, securing consecutive championships in 2022 and 2023.
The city's sporting landscape continues to expand with the anticipated arrival of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Oakland Athletics have announced plans to relocate to Las Vegas, with a new ballpark projected to open on the Strip by 2028. Further expansion discussions include potential NBA and Major League Soccer (MLS) teams.
This transformation has had a profound economic impact. Over 2 million visitors traveled to Las Vegas for sporting events from 2018-2022, a threefold increase according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority's annual Visitor Profile Study from 2023.
The Raiders franchise has reached an impressive valuation of $6.2 billion, driven by Allegiant Stadium's revenue-generating success. These milestones further cement Las Vegas as a sports tourism destination, where the thrill of the game meets the excitement of the Strip.
Drive to Survive Fueled F1's Fan Boom and Vegas is Its New Playground
When Netflix's Drive to Survive first aired in 2019, few could've predicted its seismic impact on the American sports landscape. However, over seven seasons, the docuseries has achieved what decades of traditional marketing couldn't — it has humanized the sport. Suddenly, U.S. viewers weren't just watching fast cars; they were rooting for characters, rivalries, and comeback arcs. F1 fandom became personal. And it became mainstream.
Nowhere is that momentum more visible — or tangible — than in Las Vegas. The Grand Prix Plaza is the real-world manifestation of this digital boom. It's no longer enough to watch; fans want to step inside the story.
“These new experiences are as close to an F1 race one can get without being a professional driver,” said Jonathan Linden, Co-CEO of Round Room Live and Producer of The Formula 1 Exhibition. “This is the largest-scale F1 exhibition we've debuted in North America, and there was no better place to do it than the home of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.”
While F1 has long been associated with exclusivity, speed, and champagne podiums, the Las Vegas experience makes space for the next generation. Young fans can explore the intricacies of a race car through interactive exhibits or stage their own podium moment — arms raised, trophies in hand, engines roaring on the screen behind them.
That commitment to youth engagement is just beginning. “We are going to be starting a community karting program to train up-and-coming karting kids so they can enter the sport at a young age. We will be announcing that shortly,” continues Prazer. It's a high-octane playground where fandom is fostered, not filtered by barriers.
F1's permanent arrival in Las Vegas isn't just for one kind of fan. Anyone who's ever felt the thrill of speed, the pull of rivalry, or the wonder of witnessing precision unfold in real time will feel at home. Here, the next generation of fans will fall in love with Formula 1. Whether they're five or fifty, it's where a lifelong journey with the sport begins.
Plan Your Pit Stop
Located at 3901 S Koval Lane, Grand Prix Plaza opens to the public on May 2 and offers a full-throttle fan experience across three main attractions.
F1 X is a tech-forward, interactive journey through Formula 1 history and innovation. It features iconic cars, legendary artifacts, and a virtual design lab where guests can build and race their own digital F1 car. Admission starts at $79 for adults, with locals pricing at $59.
F1 DRIVE is the official karting attraction for guests ages 12 and up to race high-performance karts on a section of the actual Las Vegas Strip Circuit, starting at $37 and $30 for locals. F1 HUB also houses cutting-edge simulators starting at $26.50 and an expansive F1 merchandise store with 10% off for locals.
