Formula 1 Experiences Rev Up as New Season Nears

Formula 1 has been experiencing a surge in popularity on a global scale, drawing huge crowds to its races and an ever-growing TV audience. Those trends are increasingly evident in the U.S., which will again host three of the circuit’s 24 races this year – in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas.

So, as the sport gears up for its 77th season, with pre-season testing taking place later this month in Bahrain and the first race set for Australia (March 6-8), two American venues are looking to cash in on its popularity. Those places are:

* An F1 Arcade (London), which will open a 15,000-square-foot location in Atlanta on Feb. 6 in The Interlock mixed-use complex northwest of that city’s downtown. That venue’s offerings will include 68 state-of-the-art racing simulators, dining and cocktails in space saturated with F1 references. “Atlanta is a dynamic, culture-forward city, and F1 Arcade is designed to bring people together—whether they’re lifelong fans or brand-new to the sport — for unforgettable racing, food, and social experiences,” said Jonathan Peters, CEO of F1 Arcade.

The Atlanta locale will be the chain’s sixth in America; the others are in Boston, Denver, Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. It also has arcades in the U.K., in London and Birmingham, and in Madrid, Spain.

* The Grand Prix Plaza, which has reopened in Las Vegas for its second season after undergoing a major update. Set within the 39-acre, multi-use complex that houses the state-of-the-art Las Vegas Grand Prix Pit Building, the entertainment destination features more than 100,000 square feet of F1 attractions, including:

• F1 X, an interactive attraction offering guests a tech-driven journey through a cutting-edge exhibition, featuring legendary artifacts, memorabilia and hands-on activations. Visitors can design their own virtual F1 car livery and virtually race on the Las Vegas Strip Circuit from the driver’s seat in an upgraded 4D theater.
• F1 drive, the venue’s F1 karting adventure puts guests behind the wheel on a section of the actual Las Vegas Strip Circuit, racing through its pit lane and team garages.
• F1 hub, which includes Formula 1 simulators, a retail store and a dining destination

“For year two, we’ve taken Grand Prix Plaza to new heights, offering returning guests new ways to engage in the sport, while giving first-time visitors an action-packed introduction to the world of Formula 1 racing,” said General Manager Benjamin Larvie.