Las Vegas is one of the sporting and entertainment capitals of the world, where everything goes, and nothing is too much trouble.

From heavyweight boxing to the NFL, Vegas has held the biggest sporting events and is set to finally welcome Formula 1 back after an absence of 41 years. This promises to be anything but a routine race weekend, with an array of on-and-off-track stars primed to take part in an exhilarating race around ‘sin city’s’ most iconic landmarks.

Here’s why we’re excited to hit the jackpot in Vegas…

A new track with the potential for exhilarating action

Unlike the last two Las Vegas Grands Prix, which were held within the grounds of the Caesars Palace Hotel, this new temporary circuit promises fast, overtaking-laden racing around the city’s most notable landmarks.

That means Lando and Oscar will be going 200mph past iconic attractions such as the Bellagio fountains and the city’s famous strip, which will serve as a 1.1-mile-long straight for the drivers.

The route will also take them past the recently constructed Sphere, a 366-foot tall and 516-foot-wide bowl-shaped theatre, which contains the world’s highest-resolution wraparound LED screen (you’ll want to keep an eye on this, but more on that below). 

With a mixture of fast-flowing, high-speed corners, tight hairpins, and long straights, Vegas has added plenty of ingredients to what is already a step into the unknown, with drivers racing around on streets that residents use for their daily commutes, just like in Monaco and Singapore. And that’s before we consider the expectedly chilly conditions, with the temperature potentially dropping to as low as six degrees Celsius.

Prime overtaking spots include the strip, and the fast right section of Turns 16-17, which begins on Harmon Avenue and passes the start-finish straight into the tight Turn 1.

With the circuit being over 6.201km, and lap times around the 1m30s range, the 50 laps will be a gruelling test for driver and car, making it a race where the cleverest will come out on top.

What makes racing in ‘Sin City’ so special?

Success in any grand prix is magical, but silverware in ‘Sin City’ would surely be even more special given the city’s history as a sport and entertainment powerhouse.

For decades, champions from various sports have been crowned in Las Vegas, from boxing’s Muhammed Ali, who won five times in the seven fights he contested in Vegas, to the NHL Golden Knights hockey team, who took victory in the Stanley Cup in 2023 after only six years of existence.

F1 is no exception to the city’s coronation power: Keke Rosberg reached the zenith of the sport when he won the Drivers' Championship in the last race to be held at Vegas in 1982. John Watson finished on the podium for McLaren in that race in 1982, while Denny Hulme won there for us in our title-winning 1968 Can-Am campaign.

A world champion won’t be coronated this time, but our recent form suggests that silverware could be in the offing if the stars align for Lando and Oscar. Our drivers have nine podiums between them so far this season, which has helped to propel us to fourth in the Constructors' Championship.

Last time at a street circuit in Singapore, Lando performed exceptionally well, finishing second behind Carlos Sainz, while Oscar overcame a tricky qualifying to finish seventh. A good omen for when we hit the track on Thursday night to begin our weekend’s programme.

Now, if you're wondering why our weekend begins on Thursday night, there’s a simple explanation. To get more television viewers, the race has been moved to Saturday night - F1’s first Saturday race since 1985 - rather than Sunday night, which would have been Monday morning in Europe.

Las Vegas also marks Formula 1’s 1,100th Grand Prix, and in that time, we’ve been privileged enough to win 183 times and take 503 podiums.

Roll up, roll up, as F1 meets showbiz

Naturally, with a race like Las Vegas being a five-day extravaganza, top-quality entertainment is a must.

Before a car has even hit the track, a pre-race ceremony on the start-finish straight will occur on Wednesday night, with the world-famous Cirque de Soleil performing their Beatles tribute show with American soul music stars Andra Dry and Gary Clark Jr.

After Cirque du Soleil have dazzled with their performance, an array of world-renowned artists, including will.i.am, Swedish House Mafia, and Journey - whose performance will include a drone-themed tribute to Las Vegas’ adopted favourite son, Elvis Presley - will play their best hits to a backdrop of LED lights and dancers, including the famous Blue Man Group. Then, it’s our time to shine as Oscar, Lando, and Andrea Stella will be introduced to the crowd on stage as part of the team and drivers' introductions.

With the race taking place at night, the grand prix weekend will be a who’s who parade of world A-listers. Combined with a stunning slew of LED lights and illuminations, the race will be an apple of the eye for fans on and off track, whether viewers are watching from the stands or at home.

New merch and off-track fun

We’ll bring you closer to the action with a special range of Vegas-themed merchandise to commemorate the weekend, thanks to our friends at Castore and New Era.

We’ve also teamed with Mitchell & Ness and Culture Kings to create an extraordinary merchandise range for Las Vegas, available online and in the Culture Kings store in Caesars Palace. We’ll take over the Culture Kings store during the week with a McLaren Formula 1 car, a selection of other items from our illustrious past, customisable jackets, and live entertainment. Keep an eye out on our social channels, as Lando will make a special appearance.

Fans of golf and McLaren will see their worlds collide on the Tuesday of race week with the inaugural ‘The Netflix Cup’ live on Netflix. The competition pairs Carlos and Lando against all-star golfers Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas in a nine-hole shootout at the Wynn Golf Course. No pressure then, Lando…

For those at the circuit, there will be plenty to do when the cars are in the garage. A red carpet will welcome the teams and drivers on race day, while a moneyless casino and an F1-themed wedding chapel will be on hand to keep guests entertained and to give them the whole Vegas experience. 

Want to feel the sensation of being in a wind tunnel up close with a Formula 1 car zooming by? Well, you can with the F1 Blast Lane, designed to recreate the same sensations our drivers and mechanics feel on a GP weekend.

Last but not least, our partners at Google will have a special fan zone in the West Harmon Zone. Attractions include a Google Chrome dark mode arcade, where fans can experience Lando and Oscar’s mindsets during a race via a McLaren simulator experience, complete with reaction tests.

Remember we told you to keep a close eye on the Sphere? That’s because we’ll be taking over the revolutionary Arena with the help of Google as part of their ‘Built for Fast’ campaign. The world’s largest spherical structure will be transformed into a giant revolving Google Chrome icon with the MCL60 skidding around it.

This same design will also be lighting up the outside of the Virgin Hotel Curio Collection by Hilton, as the MCL60 screeches around the Google Chrome logo. These incredible illuminations will look out over the city as we paint the town an intoxicating combination of McLaren papaya and Google Chrome yellow, red and green.