How Formula 1 plans to stop non-ticket holders from watching the Las Vegas Grand Prix

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The Formula 1 circus is returning to Las Vegas for a third successive year, and plans have already been put in place to ensure that those who haven’t purchased tickets will not be able to watch the race from the side of the track.

Last year, fans found clever ways to watch George Russell take victory and Max Verstappen celebrate a fourth world title on the iconic streets of Las Vegas without buying a ticket.

Pedestrian bridges, hotel terraces, and Strip restaurants became makeshift grandstands as fans tore down the plastic coverings that offered them views of F1’s finest speeding down the 1.2-mile-long straight on the Las Vegas Strip.

That created headaches for F1 and promoters, who were keen to protect ticket revenue. Without strict measures, thousands of people could enjoy the race for free, a scenario that race organisers refuse to tolerate.

READ MORE: 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix race and qualifying times, how to watch and Nevada weather forecast

Race organisers have built enclosures on pedestrian bridges in Las Vegas to prevent ticketless viewing

To tackle the problem, organisers have installed metal barriers on pedestrian bridges that cross the Strip. This is the norm at the majority of circuits that utilise bridges as a route to the inner part of the racing complex, and F1 has insisted that these measures aren’t just about revenue.

Pedestrian bridges located around the circuit are essential for the foot traffic of both locals and visitors, and allowing people to linger or gather in large numbers could create dangerous bottlenecks.

However, mesh and fence barriers also line the circuit’s perimeter, blocking sightlines from the walkable routes at the sides of the track and public areas.

The entire route is effectively enclosed, making it nearly impossible to catch a glimpse of the star-studded grid without an official ticket for the Grand Prix weekend.

During last year’s edition of the race, a viral video on social media portrayed a number of fans going in circles on a nearby escalator in order to catch a view of the on-track action without being shooed away by present security guards.

Restaurants, bars, and hotels with a direct view of the circuit have also been asked to pay $1,500 (£1,100) per person in licensing fees for punters to be able to watch it from the confines of their business.

Venues that refuse to comply are put at risk of having their sightlines blocked by temporary structures or barricades.

READ MORE: The ‘phenomenal’ turning point in Niki Lauda’s F1 career that occurred at the Las Vegas Grand Prix

F1 have made a change to this year’s Las Vegas Grand Prix that Toto Wolff called for last year

After watching his star driver duo of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton languish in the lower positions of the top 10 in F1’s inaugural event at the Las Vegas Strip circuit, Toto Wolff was asked what he would change about F1’s latest city circuit.

The timings of the sessions were the team principal’s biggest gripe with the event, as he proposed that qualifying be brought forward in order for the day’s running to be concluded a lot earlier than the 4am finish time last year.

Race organisers decided to take Wolff’s comments from 2023 on board for this year’s edition of the spectacle, and both qualifying and the Grand Prix have been brought forward by two hours on the Friday and Saturday night that they occur locally.

With the title race still undecided, the 50-lap race could prove to be a crucial flash point in the direction that the drivers’ championship will be heading at the end of the year.

Lando Norris currently leads, but Jenson Button believes Max Verstappen will come out swinging this weekend in Sin City.