Las Vegas GP Announces Intriguing Changes To Upcoming 2024 Race

Las Vegas Grand Prix is set to return in 2024 with new features and entertainment experiences such as an ice rink on the roof of the Paddock Club and a Ferrari Challenge support race.

Nov 17, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Moneygram Haas F1 driver Kevin Magnussen (20) of Denmark drives during the qualifiers at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images / Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Grand Prix is set to return in 2024 with a slew of new features to the race weekend. Following its highly anticipated reintroduction in 2023, which marked Formula 1’s return to the city after a 41-year hiatus, the organizers have decided to introduce several changes for the next race scheduled for November 21-23, 2024.

One of the most significant updates is the addition of the Ferrari Challenge as a support race. Unlike last year, which was plagued by logistical concerns — including a notable incident where Carlos Sainz's SF23 was damaged by a loose drain cover — the 2024 event aims to provide a more rounded racing schedule.

Emily Prazer, Chief Commercial Officer of Las Vegas Grand Prix Inc., indicated that feedback from last year has been instrumental in shaping these new plans. She explained, as quoted by GP Blog:

“We’re adding Ferrari Challenge. So that will be coming, we’re super excited about it. We took on the feedback last year of not having a support race. Logistics last year were our number one concern, which again I think everyone understood.

“Ferrari also brings a crowd that loves Las Vegas as you’d expect. So it’s a natural one for us to go after, and they’ve been incredible partners."

The 2024 race will also feature an ice rink on the roof of the Paddock Club.

“So we're putting an ice rink on the roof of the Paddock Club in Vegas this year. You would never see us do that anywhere else. But the intent is like, ‘how do we create more of an entertainment proposition?’"

For those unable to attend the main event, the organizers are also hosting an F1 Festival with free tickets available for Friday and Saturday. Catering to the bustling nature of Las Vegas during major events, the festival aims to keep the city buzzing, even for those not directly attending the Grand Prix. Presently, 30,000 tickets have already been claimed per day.

“Tickets are taken, it’s a capacity of 30,000 per day. Vegas is notorious that during major events, people flood there anyway. If you speak to anyone from Vegas, the casinos as well, it’s great that the Super Bowl was there, but they’re that busy during the Super Bowl anyway, so we wanted to take the spirit of that and have the city be as busy as possible if people aren’t necessarily coming to the grand prix."

Unlike the prior year, when all 20 drivers participated in an all-encompassing launch event, the 2024 edition plans to scale back on the entertainment 'show' aspects to focus more on on-track activity.