Behind them remain some of Vegas’s most iconic hotels – from the Bellagio and Caesars Palace to the Venetian and Paris. The Las Vegas Strip has had an overhaul, with safety fencing and walls, floodlights, grandstands and hospitality terraces now straddling 2km of one of the world’s most famous pieces of real estate. Having visited Las Vegas 18 months ago to check out what we had in store following the news that F1 would be returning to the city 40 years after it had last visited, seeing what the organisers have managed to do in such a short space of time is extraordinary. PALMER: How do F1 drivers prepare for an all-new race like Las Vegas? If you head back in the other direction, it’s likely you’ll bump into a variety of entertainers, from magicians to more Elvises and the performing arts troupe Blue Man Group. At the other end of the paddock, you’ll find a ‘no money’ casino, featuring your typical games, including Roulette and Blackjack, a wedding chapel – with the words ‘lights out and together we go’ emblazoned above the altar and an Elvis officiant – and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s hospitality garage.
