Inside the $30K F1 Las Vegas Paddock Club – Where Luxury Meets the Grid

The Formula One (F1) Las Vegas Grand Prix, which concluded on Nov. 22, is home to the most expensive spectator tickets in the championship.

This year, a three-day pass for the Las Vegas Grand Prix peaked at nearly $30,000  — roughly 60 times the price of a standard F1 ticket, which starts at $469.68.

These ultra-premium tickets grant access to the Paddock Club, the heart of every Grand Prix. This is where all 10 teams’ garages and VIP hospitality suites are located — an area open only to team personnel, partners, and guests.

Invited by the Las Vegas Grand Prix organizers, The Korea Daily became the first Korean media outlet to visit the Paddock Club on November 20.

The Las Vegas Paddock Club is a four-story structure spanning 300,000 square feet, making it the largest single Paddock facility in the entire F1 calendar. It can host up to 5,000 guests at once. Paddock Club ticketholders enjoy not only premium race views but also complimentary fine dining, beverages, and exclusive experiences. During this year’s event, Hollywood stars including Travis Scott, Ben Affleck, Naomi Campbell, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, and Cynthia Erivo were seen watching the race from the facility.

On the first floor, the garages of all 10 F1 teams line up side-by-side. Guests can observe — at close range — car servicing, tire preparation, strategy briefings, and the behind-the-scenes operations that make an F1 race possible. The Paddock Club also offers programs not available to the general public, such as opportunities to meet drivers and team principals, as well as guided tours of the pit lane and circuit.

One corner of the first floor houses the premium lounge “Gordon Ramsay at F1 Garage,” the highest-tier experience at the event. Operated by chef Gordon Ramsay himself, the lounge offers the closest view of Turn 1 of the circuit, along with signature dishes such as Beef Wellington and a curated selection of high-end spirits. Ramsay was on-site throughout race week.

Often described as the pinnacle of sports hospitality, the Paddock Club delivers a full sensory experience. At the entrance, guests are greeted with complimentary champagne from Moët & Chandon, an official F1 partner. A dedicated champagne bar operates throughout the Grand Prix. “It’s the same champagne used on the podium for the victory celebration,” said Fallon Porter, communications manager for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, “and every Paddock Club guest can enjoy it.”

A Paddock-exclusive merchandise store also stands near the entrance, offering apparel with the “Paddock Club” logo and Disney–F1 collaboration items. The collaboration’s creative direction was led by Korean American designer Bobby Kim, Creative Vice President of Disney Consumer Products.

“I wanted to highlight what Disney and F1 share in common,” Kim said. “Both brands lead their respective industries — media and sports — and we wanted that spirit of continuous innovation reflected in the designs.”

The second floor features a lounge reminiscent of a luxury hotel: the Wynn Grid Club, operated by Wynn Las Vegas.

“After renovations this year, it is considered the most premium lounge within the Paddock Club,” Porter said. With its bright, all-white interior and dedicated servers, the venue offers full-service dining and a 360-degree vantage point from which guests can view multiple sections of the circuit simultaneously.

The rooftop on the fourth floor is the Paddock Club’s most energetic space.

“The rooftop brings together the essence of F1 and the unique atmosphere of Las Vegas,” Porter said. Heineken beer bars, a sushi omakase counter, and other experiential stations offer guests a distinctive blend of racing and entertainment. An F1 driving simulator adds immersion even before the race begins.

Officially, the facility’s formal name is “Grand Prix Plaza.” Because its spelling matches that of Stephen Paddock — the perpetrator of the 2017 Mandalay Bay mass shooting — organizers maintain the alternative name “Grand Prix Plaza,” though most F1 events globally refer to equivalent spaces simply as the “Paddock Club.”

Designed as a permanent structure, the Las Vegas Paddock Club will serve the community year-round. Benjamin Lavi, general manager of the Grand Prix Plaza, said, “Outside the race period, we operate F1 karting and simulator experiences, a museum, and an official store. It is designed to be a cultural hub that introduces F1 throughout the year and engages with the local community.”

BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]