As the much anticipated Las Vegas Grand Prix has come to an end with a bang, multiple factors made the event a successful one. The inauguration of the race, however, was marred with controversies.
Firstly, Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz ran over a loose manhole lid which caused an unanticipated pause in the race. After that, the fans were escorted out by the local cops before they could watch the FP2 after waiting for hours during the practice session. This incident led to the filing of a lawsuit and was discouraged by the drivers on the grid.
But as the weekend progressed, the race went on to become one of the most successful events in the F1 calendar while drawing many celebrities to the paddock for the race. It has been reported that the race at Sin City drew a massive crowd and has become the seventh-most-attended race of the 2023 season.
I was in Las Vegas for the Formula 1 race this weekend, and the on-ground experience was very different from what you’ve read on social media.
Here’s a breakdown of my experience.
1. Las Vegas Was Packed All Weekend
I stayed at The Wynn, and it was super busy.
There were… pic.twitter.com/io9wbvEVh2
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) November 20, 2023
The new event in Las Vegas created an impression, even though races in Australia, Mexico, Belgium, and Canada garnered higher crowds. Approximately, 5.6 million people have attended Formula 1 races overall as of 2023.
As it is no surprise that the Las Vegas Grand Prix was one of the most expensive and extravagant races on the schedule, the F1 organization has managed to negotiate an agreement to continue racing at the Las Vegas Strip until 2032.
Las Vegas GP went beyond expectations with record of 1.3 million viewers
Although the Las Vegas GP was projected to be the most exciting race in Formula 1, issues were raised about how the race’s late onset may affect viewer numbers. Some wondered if there would be any compromise to the event, specifically in light of Max Verstappen’s criticism. However, post-race statistics from Forbes.com indicate a significant popularity rating that points out the rationale behind FIA’s preference for late-night show timing.
Remarkably, the number of viewers on ESPN outperformed all estimates, with the Las Vegas Grand Prix peaking at 1.3 million, making it one of the most-viewed Formula 1 races of the year. The race also landed in the top three for the greatest F1 television audience on cable, with the courtesy of the late-night broadcast from 1-3 AM.
1.3 million viewers tuned in to watch the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix on ESPN. It was the 3rd-largest F1 audience of the season, despite taking place in the middle of the night, 1-3am ET.
It was also the 2nd most-viewed F1 race on ESPN+ on record. pic.twitter.com/4ttlPLYfe2
— Las Vegas Locally 🌴 (@LasVegasLocally) November 21, 2023
Beyond the stats, the nail-biting race gave viewers an experience they will never forget, making it the sixth most important event on the ESPN platform for the 2023 season. It was particularly popular with the crucial 18–49 demographic, with an average of 668,000 viewers.
The race peaked at 1.5 million viewers between 1:15 and 1:30 A.M, and surprises kept coming, particularly following a chaotic start in which Max Verstappen shoved polesitter Charles Leclerc wide at turn 1.