F1 back down in Las Vegas dispute ahead of spectacular inaugural race

F1 has reportedly backed down on its plans to charge Las Vegas clubs and restaurants $1,500 per head following alleged threats to not protect establishments from barriers, lights, and other obstructions ahead of November’s Inaugural race. The Las Vegas race was added to the F1 calendar this season, giving US motorsport fans a third Grand Prix to go alongside Miami and Austin.

Drivers will fight for positions surrounded by Las Vegas’ most iconic locations. F1 is in the middle of constructing its 6.12km, 14-turn street circuit but has been at odds with Las Vegas establishments over licensing fees.

According to the New York Post, F1 had planned to charge venues $1,500 per head to not block views of the highly anticipated race. For establishments that could host 2,000 people, it would have resulted in a $3 million bill to not suffer from barriers or obstructions in November.

The report goes on to state that F1 has now backed down on its position and will instead charge the venues $50,000 each. “This venue fee is much smarter,” a source told the Post. “It’s much more in line with what the Super Bowl will charge [next year].”

On top of an undisrupted view of the Nov. 18 race, venues will also be handed a live feed. Las Vegas has already shelled out millions to prepare for F1’s arrival, with the three-day event set to draw 300,000 people. The excitement for the race is shared by both the fans and drivers.

American F1 rookie Logan Sargeant is looking forward to returning to Vegas as he used to race there during his karting days. “I’m really looking forward to it one: because I used to race there every year in karts as a kid at the super nationals,” Sargeant exclusively told the Daily Express Sport US in May. “So again, it’s similar to Miami. It’s kind of like coming back to very familiar ground and somewhere where it all started, so that’s really cool. 

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“Obviously, Vegas is Vegas, racing down the strip, I mean, it doesn’t get much better than that. It’s definitely a week I’m really looking forward to – that’s to say the same for all the US Grands Prix – but I think that one is going to be a bit more of a special one.”

Sargeant, 22, is yet to score points in F1 while driving for Williams. His best finish came at Silverstone, the home of the British Grand Prix, earlier this year. He missed out on a championship point by one place.

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