Is Formula 1 at the Las Vegas Grand Prix too much show and not enough sport? Alexander Wurz thinks: It can be both!
Formula One in Las Vegas is being praised by many as the event of the year. Other motorsport fans, however, are rather skeptical about the spectacle in the city where there is no sin. The fact that the whole trappings take up almost more space than the race itself is particularly annoying for the traditionalists among the fans.
Even in the paddock, there are those who are not overly impressed by Las Vegas. Helmut Marko, for example, makes no secret of the fact that he prefers the down-to-earth Spielberg to the glittering gambling metropolis in Nevada. And ORF expert Ferdinand Habsburg sums up his first impressions as follows: “My brain is completely overstimulated.”
But since the 2023 premiere, which, after a bumpy start with the loose manhole cover and the curious first practice day, has developed into a thrilling sporting event, the skeptics are becoming fewer. The general consensus: those who aren’t interested in the trappings can ignore them and concentrate on the driving.
Alexander Wurz, chairman of the drivers’ union GPDA, also sees it that way. He describes Las Vegas as “special” but also shows understanding for rights holder Liberty Media: “From the moment Formula 1 announced that it would be coming to Las Vegas, it was clear to everyone: you have to make a show out of it. Otherwise it doesn’t fit,” he says on ORF.
But: “As long as the sport is as hard-fought and cool as in the last few races or this season, you can make a real show around it. I think the balance here is a bit more geared towards show. But it’s not a show that takes place out there. It’s hardcore motorsport. It just sells a little differently in America.”
What makes Las Vegas so special is shown in a recent video on the YouTube channel of Formel1.de, in which Kevin Scheuren takes viewers behind the scenes and gives them insights into what it’s like to experience the most dazzling Formula 1 Grand Prix as a VIP and what is on offer there for a mere 35,000 US dollars.
