F1 Conceals Vegas Race from Pedestrians

As the Formula One Grand Prix in Las Vegas looms, F1 is once again working on barriers that will prevent passers-by from seeing the race. Taking some lessons from last year’s race, F1 has now bolstered its defenses.

No Freebies for Pedestrians

During the inaugural race in 2023, F1 had put up screens that block view of the race from the pedestrian bridges in Las Vegas. However, disgruntled tourists took some of those down in order to see the race, to the racing organization’s dismay.

As a result, F1 has now enclosed certain in aluminum casing, including the bridge connecting Wynn Las Vegas to Palazzo, the one connecting The Venetian to Treasure Island and the one near Caesars Palace. F1 officials are currently working on blocking the view from the bridge connecting Horseshoe and Bellagio, as well as the Harmon Avenue one.

In addition, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the bridges have now been equipped with scaffolding and overhead lighting.

Tourists Say It’s All a Bit Excessive

While F1 has tried to justify the barriers with the safety of the race participants, some tourists have remained unconvinced, accusing F1 of ruining the Las Vegas experience and hiding the race from the public.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal spoke with two tourists who took photos of the lighting rigs near the Bellagio fountains. They said that the F1 infrastructure has ruined the Las Vegas Boulevard view and noted that everything seems a bit “excessive.”

In the meantime, F1 officials have been trying to at least reduce the impact of traffic on the city. Still, converting streets into a racetrack would inevitably cause some traffic issues. For context, traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard and Sands Avenue will be reduced to one lane in each direction from midnight to noon through Friday. In the meantime, Koval Lane’s section from Rochelle to Harmon avenues will be closed until November 25.

F1 officials hope to remove all traces of the race by Christmas.

Local Businesses Are Unhappy

It turns out that tourists and drivers aren’t the only ones opposed to the race. Local businesses have been especially vocal in their disgruntlement with the race, which is now being reflected in Anti-F1 Grand Prix parties. One such party will be hosted by the Crazy Horse III strip club, which encouraged locals to ditch lapses for lap dances.

Ellis Island Casino, on the other hand, continued its lawsuit against Formula 1 and Clark County, arguing that the race incurred huge financial losses for its business.