F1 roars into Las Vegas with parties, concerts, celebrities and, eventually, an actual race

LAS VEGAS –

Formula 1 driver Alex Albon raced in Texas, then Mexico City and then Brazil, followed by a short trip back to the UK before finally arriving in Las Vegas. He couldn’t stop thinking about his golf game.

After around 500 laps in the simulator, he felt fit on the Las Vegas street circuit. His golf game? Not that spicy.

Albon was among four drivers taking part in the ‘Netflix Cup’, a made-for-television golf game that pitted F1 drivers against golfers from ‘Full Swing’. The streaming giant’s first foray into live sports coverage kicked off a week of parties and concerts ahead of Saturday night’s race across the Las Vegas Strip.

“We had three races, went to Mexico, Brazil and the United States, and all I was worried about was this game,” said Albon, who, after landing in Las Vegas, enjoyed a round with a golf coach and his girlfriend Lily played Muni, a player on the LPGA Tour.

The game at Wynn Golf Club was won by Ferrari’s Justin Thomas and partner Carlos Sainz, who promptly dropped and broke the trophy as he and Thomas celebrated with champagne and the winning checkered flag jackets on Tuesday night. Sainz laughed it off because it was a breakthrough for the Spaniard, a standout golfer who competed in the Ryder Cup All-Star Match in Rome earlier this year.

“Unfortunately I can’t make any progress, I’m completely stuck because I can’t play any more than I’m already playing,” said Sainz. “My God, I want to be a much better golfer. But Formula 1 takes up too much time for me.”

Just like this week in Las Vegas, which cannot be compared to any other race in Formula 1’s 24-event calendar. The casinos, clubs and restaurants are offering packages for fans who want to do something while they wait for the cars to hit the track each night starting Thursday.

The Bellagio’s Fountain Courtyard features a “Shoey Bar” where guests can purchase “limited-edition MGM Rewards driving shoes handcrafted by a legendary motorsports apparel designer” and then imitate Daniel Ricciardo and drink a cocktail made from the shoe.

Over at Aria, a celebrity stylist gave Valtteri Bottas a haircut, which is believed to be a version of the mullet the Finnish driver has worn all season. Bottas and Alfa Romeo teammate Zhou Guanyu should stop by.

Ferrari has a pop-up boutique at the Bellagio, the Chandelier Bar at the Cosmopolitan offers drink specials, and show cars are everywhere – from baggage claim at the Las Vegas airport to several casinos along the Strip. Photo opportunities abound.

Hell’s Kitchen at Caesars Palace is hosting a special dinner with Chef Gordon Ramsay, who will discuss his love of Formula 1 during the $500 four-course meal. Nobu is hosting a sushi demonstration with chef Nobu Matsuhisa and a meal of toro, A5 Wagyu, caviar and cocktails for $500. STK at Cosmopolitan offers The Full Throttle Cocktail for $32 in a souvenir cup.

Bravo fan? Vanderpump à Paris presents “A Very Vanderpump Brunch” with a special menu, Vanderpump-branded rosé and an appearance by Lisa Vanderpump for $250.

It’s unlike anything the drivers themselves have seen in the sleek, upscale world of Formula 1.

“There is so much hype, but personally I underestimated how big the whole thing would be,” said Alpine rider Pierre Gasly. “There are people everywhere. The location is fabulous. The ball in the background? I can’t stop staring at it.”

The Sphere, 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide, opened in September and is considered the largest spherical structure in the world. It features an extremely bright outdoor LED screen that will be on all week long, including during the race itself.

Joel Fisher, executive vice president of marquee events and operations at MSG Entertainment, said the Sphere team worked with Formula 1 on what colors should not be displayed during the race to avoid distractions.

Sainz wondered if he could have a picture of McLaren driver Lando Norris in a dress shown during the race to distract his close friend. Fisher said no, there will be images of driver cards, stats, F1 helmets, graphics and more. The race features content created exclusively by Sphere Studios.

Aston Martin has teamed up with The Sphere for the biggest marketing push in the team’s history as the luxury brand will display its cars at the landmark. The Sphere itself will be closed to the public throughout the weekend and will be used for F1 hospitality.

“This is one of the world’s most significant sporting events and we are ready to introduce Sphere to our global audience through F1 – both in person in Las Vegas and locally around the world,” Fisher said.

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