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Did Danica Patrick's fashion steal the show at Vegas more than Max Verstappen's championship win?

Danica Patrick sure knows how to make an appearance. Ever since she made her mark on the racing world, she’s always been one of the best-dressed drivers off the track. This past weekend, she rejoined the Sky Sports’ F1 broadcast team for the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix. And let’s say that when the bright lights of Sin City called Danica’s name, she showed out, rocking jaw-dropping outfits, as dazzling as the Vegas Strip on the night of the race.

The 42-year-old former IndyCar and NASCAR driver pulled out an absolute fashion clinic in the Nevada desert. One that had the grandstands gushing loudly with positive observations all across social media.

Red Bull wins big, but Danica Patrick wins bigger at Las Vegas Grand Prix

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If you didn’t know by now, George Russell and Sir Lewis Hamilton perfected a 1-2 podium sweep for Mercedes at Vegas. Russell, 26, won the third Formula One race of his career in his third full-time year driving for the British manufacturers. But the bigger story of the night was this: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive FIA World Driver’s Championship title with just two races left in the 2024 F1 season.

The Dutch superstar had quite a stellar year, accentuated by 8 race wins en route to the honors. And if you’ve been following his advances in the NASCAR off-season, you probably know that. However, none of his P1 finishes this year came while Danica Patrick was in attendance. The Las Vegas GP was no different. Now, nobody’s saying Patrick is a bad omen for the Red Bull Racing driver. But as he missed opportunities to dazzle on the track, Danica did so off it, with her expert insights and shiny wardrobe. When she returned to the Austin Grand Prix, she wore cowboy boots to pay tribute to the location. Then, Patrick sported a ‘Dia De Muertos’ inspired look at the Mexico City race and carried it better than most would.

This weekend, she was Sky Sports’s guest analyst joining Simon Lazenby, Martin Brundle, and Jenson Button for the broadcast in Vegas. The crew did a commendable job covering the event, and everyone brought their A-game to Sin City, but Danica shined brighter than the rest. A carousel of pictures shared from Patrick’s official Instagram handle gave fans a brief periscope view into the various shades she donned in Nevada.

 

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Did Danica Patrick's fashion steal the show at Vegas more than Max Verstappen's championship win?

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From putting on a ‘Fireworks’ patterned dress for race-day coverage to slaying qualifying in an all-red, leather fit, with a black top that made her look like a proper ’80s rockstar, Patrick turned up the heat in the desert. Then, she surprised the crowd with sequin pants at some point over the weekend and even clicked pictures with an Elvis impersonator while she was at it. It is safe to say the Las Vegas Grand Prix was a star-studded affair. Danica Patrick only added to all the festivities, although her razzle-dazzle had fans going wild on social media.

Fashion meets Formula 1 fame

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Now there’s no question that 42-year-old Patrick is one of the most polarizing individuals in the diverse world of motorsport. She’s been everywhere and done everything, be it in stock cars or open-wheeled machines. Some would argue Danica’s marketability and sponsor backing pushed her to the top. But in reality, she has fought just as hard as any racer of the opposite gender to make her name ring in her preferred choice of profession.

And for that, even today, nearly six years separated from her driver’s career, Danica Patrick can draw opinions like no other. One fan shared the collective feelings after seeing the woman in all her greatness through the Instagram pictures, commenting, “DP is bad to the bone!” Another took a specific affinity to her red leather outfit, and wrote, “Good to see you again on a race weekend and sporting the Republican red! Danica for the win!”

A doting mother wittily added her sentiments to the conversations online, sharing, “If you see a good-looking security guy in a suit with a working dog who looks like Mel Gibson he’s available. It’s my son.” Unfortunately, Patrick and her new flame made a surprise appearance at Burning Man earlier this September. While the couple was spotted, details about their relationship are still under wraps—at least for now.

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Others wrote, “@jensonbutton is a dream boat,” referring to Patrick’s broadcast team colleague, 2009 F1 champion, Jenson Button, who looked equally sharp in his formals. A few more fans were “Loving the Red.” However, that comment also believed “Martin (Brundle) looks like he’s got grumpy in his old age.” He’s 65 years old, but without a doubt, Brundle was one of the best-dressed men in the paddock the entire weekend.

Regardless, the F1 season will return on an Eastward swing with the Qatar Grand Prix, followed by the season-ender in Abu Dhabi. The teams still have the constructors’ championship to fight for, so there’s much at stake in the next two races. However, with a reception like that awaiting Danica Patrick on social media, she must return to Sky Sports’ F1 broadcast team next season.

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