Tickets have gone on sale for the first-ever Las Vegas Grand Prix, and as with everything in Formula 1, they’re on the pricey side.
The official ticket office website began presales to American Express Early Access customers on Tuesday. In the Phase 1 offer, a basic general admission ticket will cost you $500 for a three-day pass. This is for the standing room section at the MSG Sphere and includes a food and soft drink package. We don’t know if these are the promises “affordable” tickets which would be made available, but The reader asked for clarification and will update this article accordingly.
Those who want a seat in the MSG Sphere grandstand section will have to pay $2,000 for the privilege. The MSG Sphere zone covers from turn 5 to turn 9, including the low speed return of turn 7 and turn 8.
The coveted start-finish straight is covered by the East Harmon area. A grandstand seat costs $2,500 more. Beyond that, there are Skybox tickets for those with the deepest pockets. Unlike lower tier tickets, these cover four days of action throughout the weekend. They also cost $10,000 each.
At this stage, the tickets are still in the presale phase. Sales will open to those who signed up for the Priority Interest List on November 3, before going on sale to the general public on November 5.
All tickets will be sold as minimum three-day passes, so don’t expect to save money by just showing up to the race. There is also a limit of eight tickets per customer via the official box office.
Liberty Media is investing heavily in the Las Vegas Grand Prix as part of its broader push into the US market. The 2023 schedule will feature three races in the United States, with the new event joining existing Miami and Austin races on the schedule. The Las Vegas race will be the penultimate round of the championship in 2023, which will take place on November 18, just before the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Pedagogues will note that while this is Las Vegas’ first inaugural Grand Prix, it’s not the first Grand Prix to be held in Las Vegas. That honor goes to the often ridiculed Caesars Palace Grand Prix, raced in 1981 and 1982. Held on a track literally built into a casino parking lot, the circuit was unpopular with drivers and attracted few fans. Originally a Formula One World Championship event, it was revamped into a CART race for 1983 and 1984 before being scrapped altogether.
Formula 1 has never been an economic sport, for the fans or the drivers. High ticket prices are therefore not particularly surprising, let alone in Las Vegas. Still, if you’re looking to get involved, $500 for a three-day pass isn’t too bad, especially since the food and drink is on the house.
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