“Complete Sh*t Show”: Las Vegas GP Receives Severe Backlash as Ridiculous Hurdles Hamper Tourism

Formula 1 is a sport that has always strived to be a global platform to showcase the best of motor racing. From the very start, the races have taken drivers and fans on a journey to the finest parts of the world. Even with so many venues, the sport manages to somehow top its previous calendar with a new addition every few seasons! As of late, this has ramped up to multiple new venues, with the grandest of all being Las Vegas GP.

The boom in the sport’s popularity in the United States has paved the way for not one, but three US GP venues, with the Circuit of The Americas and the Miami GP comprising the other two stateside events. Out of every event on the calendar, the Las Vegas GP is going to be the highlight of the season, expected to be the most crowded race of the year!

But with great power comes great responsibility, and the city of Las Vegas is getting ready for the F1 circus to arrive in town. However, fans were shocked at the extent to which the management was willing to go to preserve the race for ticket-holding audiences only!

A video was shared by @fiagirly on X, which pointed out the F1 organizer’s efforts to block any view of the race for Vegas goers who had not paid for tickets. While many might think this is standard procedure, fans quickly pointed out that there is a lot more to Vegas than F1, which tourists would just not be able to see if there were posters blocking out the view toward the strip.

READ MORE: 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix Schedule – Where and When Is the F1 Race at The Sin City Strip?

After all, Las Vegas is a tourist destination first and foremost. The fans went haywire in the replies, visibly upset with the F1 Management’s tactics that sidelined tourists!

Fans call out F1 management for “absolutely nonsense” planning ahead of the Vegas GP

“i have a serious feeling this grand prix will be a complete shit show” – opening the floor low on optimism, this fan did not soften the blow for F1 Organisers! They showcased zero-faith in the officials to turn things around by the time the weekend arrives.

“Probably the daftest place to have a street race anyway. There will be 1000’s of ordinary tourists that saved up for the Vegas experience who’ll be stymied by this. Rather than enhancing. @F1 it will detract from it & at this point, with numbers dropping, they can’t afford that” – This fan pulled no punches against the organization. Las Vegas is a tourist hot spot, and removing access to other tourist destinations to limit who watches the races would defeat the purpose of the event in the first place. The Las Vegas GP is supposed to be a marquee event to promote tourism, but it is doing the opposite by creating obstacles for tourists in the first place!

“Exactly. Apparently, it’s been up there for three weeks too… Some people probably planned their Vegas trip to AVOID clashing with F1 and they’re already under restrictions.” – This user chimed in to support the sentiment that the privacy installations would only create issues. Especially with them already being put up three weeks before the race, tourists who planned well in advance of the US GP are still being hampered by it. 

“Wtf would they do that? Jesus Christ” – A fan could not shake off his disbelief in Formula 1’s management for the event. After all, why limit the tourist’s view of one of Vegas’ newest attractions, The Sphere?

“everything for money I guess” – The answer seems to be quite simple. If people are allowed to take a peek into the race without having to pay their way in, it will spell huge financial losses for the organization, ultimately defeating its purpose for F1 officials as well!

“This just adds to the growing issue of the Las Vegas GP. The race is actually hurting the community than improving it. I’ve seen so many videos like this of locals saying it’s the worst thing to ever happen to Vegas which is bad for f1 marketing tbh”. – It’s not just one tweet doing the rounds! This user pointed out that numerous locals had voiced their grievances against the barricading done for the F1 event, which even saw a bridge’s view be completely blocked off!

“I mean, speaking as the devil’s advocate it’s ‘fair’ that those who haven’t paid don’t get to see the GP, but what I don’t get is why they have done it 2 weeks before the race. Like they forgot about all the tourists that would want to see the view??” – Taking a balanced approach, this user thought that F1’s lack of concern for the tourists that had come much prior to the race weekend outweighed the reasoning behind the move.

“Imagine big walls covering Monaco’s apartments, absolutely nonsense” – With a simple but witty comparison, this fan summed up everyone’s opinion on these shenanigans. If Formula 1 allows residents during the Monaco GP to watch the race from their balconies, why can’t people do the same from a public bridge in Vegas?

Ultimately, the answer to these questions can only be given by Formula 1’s management! While they have received major backlash for the way they have handled the privacy concerns, the Las Vegas GP is bound to be a grandiose affair. But have the local complaints caused unrest for the venue’s future? Stay tuned to find out!