Whether you are a fan of Formula One or not, the next time you’re in Las Vegas, do yourself a favor and stop by the recently opened Grand Prix Plaza. This space—the actual Las Vegas Grand Prix Pit Building—has nearly 9,300 square meters of guest-facing attractions across three ticketed attractions open year-round. Comprising the full experience is F1 X, F1 Drive and F1 Hub.LATTE had the chance to experience all three segments this week while traveling to “Sin City” for Virtuoso Travel Week. We were intrigued by F1 Drive (go-karting) but otherwise had little to no interest in Formula One or the Las Vegas Grand Prix—as, it seemed, was the case with most of our group. Spoiler alert: by the end, the entire group wished we had more time here. But let’s dive into what you can expect.
Upon entering the Pit Building, guests will first walk into F1 Hub, home to racing simulators, a store and F&B venues, but we would save this for later and head right to F1 X, an interactive space where you will design your own racecar, check out Formula One artifacts, and learn more about what it takes to compete—and win—a race. Starting here really builds a strong foundation for the remainder of the experience, in our opinion.In the museum-like “75 Years of F1,” three historic cars are on display: a 1961 Ferrari, a 1979 Lotus and a 2011 Red Bull. In addition, helmets and trophies from throughout the years, modern-day racing suits, and live-size digital displays of top racers, plus more, are on display.From here, guests will head to the Design Studio to select the colors, patterns, sponsors and more to adorn their very own F1 car. Later, this design is projected onto an all-white, full-size Formula One car, bringing your design to life.
After, it’s off to the Pit Wall Experience, Pit Stop Demo, Driver’s Briefing Room and 4D Theater. At the first stop, you will grab a seat and watch TVs with multiple camera angles of the Las Vegas Grand Prix while donning headsets that give you access to the conversations between racers and their team.Next, groups of four can race to change a tire on an F1 car. At the 4D Theater, on two large screens you can watch a POV of the Las Vegas Strip Circuit as your seat rattles, blows wind, emit the scent of burning rubber and even sprays water on you, simulating what it’s like in the driver’s seat.
F1 Hub
This space is great for people who want to come, relax and maybe grab a drink or bite to eat during race day. It’s also home to the flagship store, so it’s most enjoyed by true enthusiasts.
The F1 Sims, however, take that 4D Theater experience to the next level. Here, roughly 20 entirely immersive racing simulators are available to test out your skills. With a seat built on four hydraulic lifts, you will rumble and tilt as if you are in the actual driver’s seat. Headphones and a curved, widescreen TV complete the experience.Good to know: there are several “difficulty” levels that employees will arrange for you.We also liked that once you completed your trial run, it told you how your fastest lap compared to all racers that day and all-time. Ours was not very near the top, but it got our competitive juices flowing and if it weren’t for the next—and last—experience beckoning, we would have gone for a few more laps to try and one-up ourselves.
F1 Drive
Touted as North America’s first and only official Formula One karting experience, F1 Drive was easily the highlight for everyone in our group. This F1-inspired track spans over 500 meters (some of which extending onto the actual racetrack) and 31 turns. Go karts—equipped with a Drag Reduction System (DRS), Energy Recovery System (ERS), LED steering wheel displays and realistic engine sounds—reach nearly 50 kph, which feels a whole lot faster being so close to the ground.These are, without a doubt, the most high-tech go karts you’ll experience.Not a true race, where the person who crosses the finish line first wins, each racer’s best lap time is compared to the best times of the other racers. The DRS and the ERS both effectively function as “boosts,” giving your go kart a bit of extra speed. Hitting one button at a time will increase your speed a bit, both at the same time will give you a noticeable boost.
Just about everyone in our group could have raced for a half-hour or more. It was a great way to culminate the event, having learned a bit more about racing strategies and tested out the simulators.To sum it up, we would definitely go back on our subsequent visits to Vegas. We might skip F1 X and possible F1 Hub but F1 Drive is an absolute “must.”
