Star-studded kick-off event set for F1 Las Vegas

The inaugural Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix will kick off with a star-studded showcase, featuring artists including J Balvin, Journey, Keith Urban, and Steve Aoki.

Set for Wednesday, 15 November, the jam-packed event will precede the first-ever Vegas GP weekend. The opening ceremony will span seven stages and include performances from will.i.am, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Bishop Briggs, Swedish House Mafia, along with appearances by the Blue Man Group and Cirque du Soleil.

“It was important for us to create an opening ceremony that balances the spirit of Las Vegas with the global excitement that Formula 1 and these incredible drivers bring to each host city,” says Renee Wilm, Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc. CEO.

The opening ceremony is expected to garner 30,000 attendees, will be broadcast nationally, and will be streamed globally on F1’s YouTube channel. An estimated 300,000 people will attend the maiden three-day event in Nevada.

“We are proud to be able to work with the very best in the entertainment production space”

“We are proud to be able to work with the very best in the entertainment production space to offer one of the most diverse line-ups of beloved musical superstars, which will officially launch the race week festivities,” says Wilm.

The Wednesday celebration adds to the F1 weekend’s entertainment lineup, with performances from Mark Ronson, Kylie Minogue, Nile Rogers & Chic, and Major Lazer to take place at the T-Mobile Zone at Sphere. The track will encircle the new 18,600-cap MSG venue, which will have a dedicated fan zone during the event weekend.

Breaking from the traditional weekend calendar, the race will take place on the evening of Saturday (18 November) instead of the Sunday. The third race held in the US this year, following races in Miami and Austin, the Las Vegas GP will transform the iconic Las Vegas Boulevard into a high-impact race course.

Expected to be “one of the biggest sporting events of the year”, according to F1, the flurry of entertainment corresponds with a new venue boom in Sin City.

The $2.3bn Sphere, which opened in September, will see U2 play 11 more dates during their U2:UV Achtung Baby residency. Additionally, the new luxury resort Fontainebleau will launch its intimate 3,600-cap BleauLive Theatre with two nights from Post Malone later this year.

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