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Inside the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix: Where We Watched the F1 Race (and Who We Spotted at the Track)
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The lights were up and the action was hot last weekend as Formula One returned to Sin City for the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix. Though the actual race took place on Saturday night, this year’s festivities spanned three days of jam-packed events for racing fans from all over the world.
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Chief among the activations was Heineken’s return as the title race sponsor of F1 Vegas, officially named the “Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix.” This year, the beer brand brought out It Ends With Us star, Brandon Sklenar, to debut a custom racing jacket from Heineken and Race Service.
The vintage-inspired jacket was customized with Heineken motifs and featured the words “Always a Choice” embroidered on a patch, signaling the brand’s belief that when you are enjoying Heineken, “you always have a choice and should consume responsibly.” Sklenar’s jacket is currently up for auction here, with all proceeds going to Wings for Life, a long-standing partner of Oracle Red Bull Racing and an organization dedicated to finding a cure for spinal cord injuries.
In addition to Sklenar, Heineken’s Paddock Club brought out stars like Blackpink’s Lisa, Adele, Paul Mescal, Paris Hilton and John Legend, who all had access to exclusive hospitality options and behind-the-scenes action at the pit, in addition to unlimited beer and food, of course. The Heineken Silver Stage, meantime, hosted performances from Snakehips, Big Boi and Vandelux. And Red Bull driver Max Verstappen surprised fans at the Heineken Stage (located at East Harmon Zone by Virgin Hotels Las Vegas) just hours before he secured the 2024 World Drivers’ Championship — his fourth title in a row.
Heineken’s presence in the race was strongly felt and it was a great drink to sip trackside. While Heineken Silver has long been a choice of light beer fans, the company’s Heineken 0.0 branding was seen throughout the 17-turn, 3.8-mile circuit, spanning the city’s most iconic landmarks. Available now at grocery stores, liquor stores and sites like Walmart.com, the beer offers the same refreshing taste as a Heineken with no alcohol and only 69 calories per can.
Heineken 0.0 Non-Alcoholic Beer, 12 Pack
Heineken wasn’t the only brand to host the stars during F1 Vegas weekend. Patron brought out Shaun White to host the “PATRóN G.O.A.T. Circuit,” with the Olympic champ (and self-professed tequila fan) serving up “G.O.A.T. Margaritas” made with Patron Silver at bars inside Wynn and Encore Las Vegas. Puma, meantime, welcomed Ashley Graham, Luka Sabbat and Davido to their Paddock Suite, while Paris Hilton and Emily Ratajkowski were among the stars helping to celebrate the re-launch of the Puma Speedcat OG sneaker.
Puma Speedcat OG
MGM Resorts’ Bellagio Fountain Club offered an A-list worthy experience, with a hospitality lounge staged in front of the iconic Bellagio Fountains, mere feet from the circuit’s longest straightaway. Guests were also able to see George Russell, Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz celebrate their podium finishes at the Las Vegas Grand Prix Winner’s Stage at Bellagio Fountain Club, where the drivers’ images were projected onto the fountains behind them, as fireworks filled the sky.
Chris Stapleton, Aaron Paul, Seth Rogen, Coco Jones and Eva Longoria were among the celebs who checked out the Fountain Club, where guests dined on signature dishes from some of the world’s biggest chefs, including Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Mario Carbone, David Chang, Wolfgang Puck, Masaharu Morimoto (who carved up fresh sashimi from a newly-caught tuna in front of the whole room), Alain Ducasse, Nancy Silverton and Christina Tosi.
Mark, Donnie and Paul Wahlberg were also on hand to serve up bites from their successful chain restaurant, Wahlburgers, with Mark telling Rolling Stone that the Las Vegas location has been one of their biggest achievements to date. “We’re so proud to be in Vegas,” he said. “Vegas is not only now the entertainment and gaming capital of the world, it’s a sports capital of the world. Everything and everybody is coming to Vegas.”
“Vegas such a culinary destination now too,” added Paul, “and it’s amazing to see it grow, and to see all of the different chefs along with the different restaurants. And for us to be part of that is amazing.”
As for their F1 connection, Mark admits he’s a newer fan, having been introduced to the sport after his daughter started watching Drive to Survive, but Donnie says he’s been a huge fan of F1 — and Red Bull specifically — since his days with New Kids on the Block.
“When I started traveling with New Kids in the late Eighties and traveling the world, I started to learn about sports that weren’t really as well known or as popular here,” he says. “So when I would go to Europe, I would see this hysteria about Formula One, and I started to follow it from afar. And then technology came around, and suddenly I could get the F1 app and watch every Grand Prix, watch practice, watch qualifying, and watch the history of the sport. I’ve been huge into the sport for years, and now it’s just at an all-time high.”
Donnie isn’t leaving Las Vegas just yet — he’s back with New Kids on the Block in 2025 as the group kicks off their “The Right Stuff” residency in June.
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