As the 2025 F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix gets closer (it’s from November 20 to 22), you can improve your odds of staying comfortable and having a great time by heeding a short list of core tips from previous LVGP attendees. Vegas and Formula 1 both offer tons of excitement, plenty of attractions, and stupendous waves of enthusiastic visitors. You can easily identify the race fans because many arrive clothed head-to-toe in teamware that announces their loyalty.
As a city built for entertainment in the desert, Las Vegas has unique factors that can surprise unwitting visitors. Formula 1 races are scheduled worldwide in 24 locations for the 2025 season, but even though the locales change, F1 brings its own challenges and opportunities. The pointers below are divided into Las Vegas and LVGP-specific categories.
Las Vegas survival tips
The following tips and suggestions apply to Las Vegas at any time, especially during the fall.
Slot machines – The first thing you’ll see in Las Vegas, assuming you fly there, is a bank of slot machines close to the jetway from your plane. Keep walking, slot machines are everywhere.
Hydration – It’s a desert, so the air is dry. Be sure to stay hydrated and carry water if you can. Carry lip balm and use it frequently. It’s also a good idea to use moisturizer for your skin and sunblock when you’re out during the day.
Distances – Distances are deceptive in Vegas. The hotels and many other buildings are built on a larger scale than in most cities, so it’s easy to misjudge the time it will take to travel from one to the other, especially if you walk.
Walking – Wear comfortable walking shoes, because you’ll likely have no problem surpassing 10,000 steps a day. Walking can be pleasant in Las Vegas, particularly because of the usual low humidity. Factoring in walking time, low humidity, and distances is an acquired skill for Vegas visitors. If you double your estimate of the time it will take to walk to your destination, you should be OK if it’s close.
Weather – Yes, the desert is hot in the summer, but in November, the weather changes to the Vegas version of winter. The days can be nice, but temperatures can drop to the 40s and even 30s in the evening. Bring cool weather gear like gloves, a hat, and perhaps a scarf.
Navigating casinos and hotels – Wherever you want to go inside a hotel, there are several ways to get there, but they aren’t always obvious, especially if you are near the casino area.. If you find yourself in a sea of slot machines, keep your head down and look at the carpet, sometimes pattern changes indicate different routes. Also, casinos don’t have windows, but if you can see a wall, head to it; usually, you can make good progress walking closer to the edge of a casino. As a last resort, ask staff for help.
Cabs and ride-sharing – Cabs and ride-sharing cars abound in Las Vegas. Taxi waiting lines at the main entrance to hotels and casinos can be long, but they typically move quickly, especially at the larger hotels. Hotels often locate ride share pickup points in less central areas, so allow extra time. When you’re in a taxi or ride-share, don’t be surprised if the driver uses shortcuts through a variety of hotel parking areas; you’re not being kidnapped, they just know a quicker way than sticking to the streets.
LVGP-specific tips and precautions
Las Vegas changes during the Formula 1 Grand Prix because segments of several public streets, including part of the Strip, are part of the race circuit, a synonym for the race track. The public street segments of the track are closed and reopened each day. This is the third year of the daily street-to-track-and-back conversions, which can make getting around more difficult for visitors unfamiliar with the city.
This year, the events that comprise the Grand Prix are scheduled two hours earlier than in previous years. The LVGP events, all in local Vegas time, include:
- Friday
- Free Practice 1 – 4:30 P.M.
- Free Practice 2 – 8:00 P.M.
- Saturday
- Free Practice 3 – 4:30 P.M.
- Qualifying 8:00 P.M.
- Sunday
- F1 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix 8:00 P.M.
Navigation – Because of the daily street closures, previous experience in the city may not help much. Consult LVGP street maps or download the F1 LVGP App
Transportation – Taxi and ride-sharing services will be active and waits may be longer, especially in the hours before the race events. A third option is shuttles. Free shuttles are located at many points in near the race circuit with regular routes established at major hotels. Preparation is important to establish the pickup and drop-off points for your hotel and for your LVGP viewing point.
Tickets and inclusive packages – If you haven’t already managed to secure tickets to the LVGP, you still have time. The variety and sheer number of ticket and viewing options may seem confusing, but many include seating, entertainment, food and beverages, and unique F1 activations and activities, and merch shopping access. Depending on the ticket package, the LVGP can transform from just a race to a three-day party and celebration. Prices ranging from $140 to five figures depending on the days and viewing options you select. If you want luxe VIP experiences, they’re available in mnay flavors, but there are also more basic (and less costly) options, too.
LVGP track visibility – Even the best viewing areas show only a limited part of the circuit. There are large screens in many locations around the track that livestream F1TV race coverage. If you have seats or are in a viewing area with a screen, you’ll have a more complete view of the race. The audio content of the F1TV broadcast is played at a volume that can be heard in all seating and viewing areas.
Hearing protection – You may not need hearing protection, but it’s better to be prepared in case your seating or viewing location is exposed to the loud sounds of F1 race cars.
F1 fans – If your previous experience at major sporting events has included raucus fans who behave belligerently toward fans of other teams, you may be pleasantly surprised by F1 fans. You’ll see crowds of individuals and families with teamwear for Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, Aston Martin and other F1 teams, but they all applaud good performance on the track, regardless of the team or driver they root for. I attended Grand Prix races in Montreal in 2023 and Las Vegas in 2024 and the fans were an important, consistently positive factor in my enjoyment on both occasions.
Automobile Magazine-UK
