In just three years, the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand prix has exploded into one of sport’s highest profile events, attracting massive crowds and global attention.
The inaugural 2023 race drew an estimated 315,000 fans over the four-day weekend. An impressive debut, instantly making Vegas the 7th best-attended F1 race of the season. This spectacle on The Strip isn’t just about attendance though; it’s a magnet for sponsors and partners eager to tap into Formula 1’s boom.
In 2024, teams generated a record $2.04 billion in sponsorship revenue, averaging $6 million per deal, far outpacing other sports leagues. In other words, motorsport has become prime real estate for brand engagement.
With it’s neon allure and global spotlight, Las Vegas offers an unrivaled playground for these brands to shine.
And we’ve been at the heart of this action from day one. With deep motorsport expertise at Velocity, our team knows the ins and outs of delivering world-class F1 experiences. As the LVGP evolved into a showcase of sports, entertainment and pop culture rolled into one, we’ve evolved with it, helping clients stand out in the frenzy.
Here’s what the last three years looked like.
2023: A blockbuster debut
The first modern Las Vegas Grand Prix was all about standing out. For teams, sponsors and event organisers, it meant creating the most exclusive party, the boldest fan activation, or the best seat in the house. For us, it marked one of our largest deployments to date, delivering four client programmes simultaneously across the city.
PUMA’s 250-guest VIP weekend was managed end-to-end: luxury hotels, curated off-track experiences, and premium Paddock Club access. Guests had personalised agendas via a custom app and front-row views from a branded suite over the start/finish line. The true definition of a fully immersive experience that blended world-class hospitality with insider F1 access.
We also transformed Drai’s rooftop nightclub into an exclusive race-viewing destination with a three-day programme of live commentary from motorsport legends, DJ sets and unbeatable Strip-side views, proving the best seat wasn’t always at the circuit.
For fans, we brought Paramount’s brand to life with the “Paramount Pub”. A pop-up sports bar in the official fan zone, built to boost visibility ahead of the Super Bowl. It offered thousands of fans an inviting, interactive space that matched the energy of the race and showcased how inclusive brand activations can be just as impactful as VIP ones.
2024: Elevating the experience
If year one was about making a splash, 2024 was about elevating and expanding the experience and building on lessons learned. There was a sense that fans had better access, the city ironed out kinks and everyone’s was eager to top the previous year.
Our focused turned to scaling up hospitality and refining logistics for even bigger programs.
We returned with PUMA, this time managing an even larger guest list of 400 VIPs. The goal? Deliver an unparalleled hospitality experience for a mix of high-profile celebrities, athletes, content creators and key business customers, all white keeping the complex machine behind it running seamlessly.
This meant securing top-tier hotel suites and coordinating private charters to ferry guests around the clock, fast-tracking VIPs through crowded vesnues, and crafting bespoke itineraries for different interest groups.
At the track, we designed PUMA’s Paddock Club suite to be nothing short of iconic: we transformed the space with a nightclub-esque theme complete with live DJ sets, dance-floor lighting, confetti cannons and surprise performances, effectively bringing a slice of Vegas nightlife into the race viewing experience. This “party in the Paddock” became the talk of the hospitality village (even neighboring suites popped over to see the excitement). More importantly, it reflected PUMA’s brand energy and gave their guests a memorable, only-in-Vegas F1 experience that blended sport and entertainment.
In year two, it became clear that the Grand Prix’s gravitational pull had grown. Brands needed to think beyond the track and suite to truly harness the event’s potential. By taking a festival grade, 24-7 approach, we helped clients maintain a cohesive presence amid the Vegas frenzy. The reward was richer engagement and a stronger ROI for brand partners, as they now connected with audiences on multiple fronts.
2025: A global stage for brands and beyond
Now in its third year, the Las Vegas Grand Prix firmly established itself as a global gathering point for brands, entertainment, and even government initiatives. Within just three seasons, it has become one of the most high-profile stops on the F1 calendar, attracting an even broader range of partners. Longstanding sponsors like Heineken and T-Mobile returned to activate again, and significantly, lifestyle and pop-culture brands saw Vegas as their moment to shine in Formula 1. Take the introduction of a Hello Kitty Grandstand experience. An unlikely (yet delightful) crossover between a famous pop-culture icon and motorsports underscoring the breadth of the sport’s new audience demographics.
Beyond the flashy activations, companies also leveraged the Las Vegas GP as a serious networking and business platform.
This year saw the launch of the first-ever F1 Business Summit during race week, bringing together influential leaders from sports, media, and finance to explore the future of entertainment and innovation.
Having the summit anchored in Vegas, cemented the Grand Prix’s role as a global boardroom as much as a sporting event. Even government entities got involved:
We proudly worked with Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office to deliver a high-profile cocktail reception during race week. Hosted at the Virgin Hotel, this gathering celebrated UK–US partnerships and the growth of the motorsport and automotive sectors, showing that the Grand Prix provides a unique backdrop for diplomacy and business exchange alongside the racing.
The rise of this GP reflects the broader evolution of Formula 1. It’s a global stage for brand innovation, cultural relevance, and luxury spectacle becoming the ultimate testing ground for what’s possible. But one thing has remained constant: Delivering standout experiences demands vision, precision and a deep understanding of sport’s complexity. It’s not enough to host a part or sponsor a suite. The real impact comes from designing cohesive, multi-site programmes that reflect your client’s brand and fandom.
