Time spent in Vegas moves at blurry, breakneck speed—especially during Formula 1 weekend. The only Saturday night race on the 2025 calendar, this street circuit is one of the year’s most visually iconic, with cars bolting down the Las Vegas Strip at 215 mph.
“If you told anyone five or ten years ago that F1 cars would be driving down The Strip, they would have said you’re crazy, and locked you up,” Guenther Steiner, former principal of the Haas F1 team, said during a special panel at the 1850 American Express lounge.
Now, Formula 1 team cars, merchandise shops and simulators appear in every hotel lobby from Aria Resort & Casino to The Venetian. F1 team hats dot the casino floors, as fans hedge their bets on who will take pole. And restaurants throughout the city, from Cote to Momofuku, have special F1-themed menus.
Ten-time Grand Prix winner and 2026 Cadillac Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas told Observer his favorite thing about the Las Vegas weekend: “The light show you get from inside the car is pretty cool as you drive along the strip,” said Bottas. “And this city never sleeps, even late at night, you can always find something to do.”
The world’s biggest DJs descended on Sin City, playing tracks throughout the entire weekend, including Martin Garrix at Omnia Nightclub and Anyma at Marquee Nightclub. F1 fans could sit down for a chili pepper-themed cocktail at F1 driver Carlos Sainz’s Smooth Operator Dance Lounge at Aria Resort & Casino.
And it wouldn’t be a weekend in Vegas without the stars. Aaron Paul hosted a cocktail party showcasing his new sustainable caviar, The Only, at 1850 by American Express, for Platinum and Centurion cardholders. And trackside, Beyonce and Jay-Z took a hot lap with Lewis Hamilton, while Nina Dobrev, Cynthia Erivo and Ben Affleck also made appearances. Paul Wesley, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Naomi Campbell and Kendall Jenner all attended events over the weekend.
But Bellagio Fountain Club was arguably the most glamorous viewing spot on the circuit. Located directly on the Las Vegas Strip, you had a prime seat for overtakes. Drivers zoom by in the blink of an eye, while burning rubber stings your nose. And here, high-rollers feast on an explosion of caviar and truffle dishes from the world’s best chefs, including José Andrés, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Wolfgang Puck, Masaharu Morimoto, Tom Colicchio and more.
Chef Morimoto told Observer he’s rooting for the Japanese driver on the grid, Yuki Tsunoda, while Colicchio and his son, Luka, support Ferrari. “There are people from all over the world here, which is neat, and just having the race track right here is pretty cool,” says Colicchio. “I can’t wait to hear the engines and see how fast they actually move.”
And while millions place their bets on a Vegas showdown, no one could have predicted how the weekend ended. In an unusual turn of events for a desert city, Vegas was plagued by rain, creating damp conditions on an already slippery track. Cars were hydroplaning and sliding around the wet circuit during free practice sessions and a hairy qualifying, which meant every turn of the track was a gamble on whether a driver would end up in the wall.
During qualifying, Lando Norris hedged his bets and pulled out the fastest lap at the last second, putting him in pole position to start the race. Despite favorable odds and dry track conditions, he lost the lead in the first lap and wasn’t able to recover against Max Verstappen’s rapid pace in the Red Bull.
The top three finishers, Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and George Russell, were driven in a pink Lego Cadillac by actor Terry Crews to give interviews in front of the Bellagio Fountain. Champagne was sprayed and parties were had, but soon after, there was shocking news from the FIA.
Both McLaren drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, were disqualified from the race after their cars did not meet the skid wear requirements during a post-race inspection. This gigantic twist to the season means that both Piastri and Verstappen trail Norris for the Driver’s Championship by just 24 points. So, F1 fans can now expect the championship decider to come down to the final race in Abu Dhabi on December 7. Even Vegas’ most experienced gamblers couldn’t have predicted this.