Formula 1 is down to six remaining races in the 2023 season. Round 22 of 23 is by far the most awaited one by drivers and spectators alike. So where will F1 be from 16th to 18th November? In Las Vegas, Nevada! Rewind to 2017. Daniel Ricciardo asked for a race in Vegas. In 2023, he’s got it. After 41 years, F1 is returning to Sin City, and preparations for it are in full swing. As excited as the F1 community is to watch the beasts that are F1 cars race around the streets of Las Vegas, the streets of Vegas are where the problems lie.

Since F1 announced in 2022 that it’ll be heading to the land of casinos for an official Grand Prix weekend, the construction work in and around The Strip hasn’t stopped once. Considering that the area is the heart of Vegas, and F1 isn’t really doing anything to make the lives of people working easier, it now has to face the consequences of what’s happened. And what’s happened is quite dire.

The Las Vegas GP is hitting snag after snag

It’s T-minus two months for the Las Vegas GP. Taking place on the Las Vegas Street Circuit, it’s a street circuit—as the name suggests. That means that when F1 won’t be racing there, it’ll be just another road people use daily. But to make it F1-ready, there has been construction around The Strip, and that’s posed a problem for many people, especially those who work in casinos and hotels nearby. While it’s been just a slight inconvenience for the past few months, what the organizers have done now isn’t ideal.

As the streets are being repaved, the organizers are shutting down roads around the circuit. They’re also starting to install lights, barriers, grandstands, and temporary bridges. In an interview reported by MSN, a hotel manager said, “I think it’s very rushed. Plans are changing daily. It’d be nice if we could close the track and do a test run to see how employees get in and out and get around. How does it work? And that’s not really feasible. I was talking with some of my staff today. They really should have planned on next November.” This just proves how F1 and the race organizers are doing nothing to make this change easier for people there. That’s not it.

The life of people working on getting the track ready hasn’t been any better either. F1 is a dangerous sport. But who knew that working to make F1 happen could be just as life-threatening? That’s right. A week after the hotel manager opened up about F1’s negligence, a construction worker lost their life while working close to the Bellagio Fountain. As reported by ABC News, “A man working on preparations for the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix died after sustaining a major laceration to his neck.”

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Formula 1 has yet to respond to the tragic incident. Considering everything that has happened in relation to the Las Vegas GP in the past few months, one thing is clear: this wasn’t the first snag the race hit, and it won’t be the last.

The F1 spectacle in Vegas could be a nightmare for owners and bystanders

The Las Vegas Strip in Paradise is the heart and soul of Vegas. With all the hotels and casinos there, it’s one of the most posh areas in the world. Talking about posh, F1 is one of the most glamorous sports in the world. The thing is, F1 doesn’t want people who’ve gathered to experience the atmosphere of The Strip to experience the atmosphere of F1 without paying for it. What does that mean? The race organizers are demanding licensing fees from establishments around the circuit, the cost of which is no joke.

As reported by Marca, “F1 is seeking $1,500 per head for licensing rights. For establishments such as restaurants and clubs with a seating capacity of 1,500, the licensing tab would soar to a staggering $2.25 million.” When a casino owner gave his thoughts on the issue, they said, “[F1 sales representatives] are literally shaking people down, saying they will obstruct views unless they pay them. It seems insane that they are asking for money for a public event that is taking place in the streets.”

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What are your thoughts on the Las Vegas GP? Are you excited about it, or are these problems surrounding the race dulling the extravaganza it promises?