The Story

Max Verstappen is taking a victory lap.

Get me up to speed. 

Last night  — or very early this morning, for East Coasters — the Red Bull driver won Formula 1’s inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix. The “outstanding” race was F1’s third stop in the US, following Austin, TX and Miami, FL, and was perhaps its biggest bet yet. The 3.8-mile track featured the iconic Strip and landmarks like the Bellagio fountains and the 366-foot-tall Sphere. That was the last lap in a three-day, star-studded spectacle that included fancy parties with performances by J Balvin and John Legend, caviar-fueled dinners from Michelin-starred chefs, lavish hospitality packages, and cameos by Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and more celebs. In the end, it’s expected to fuel $1.3 billion in economic activity. But the road to the finish line was rather bumpy.

That took a sharp turn.

As did Thursday’s practice session — leading some fans to file a class-action lawsuit. That followed months of locals complaining about construction causing major backups and street closures. Then there were the obstructed views of key Vegas attractions. And just over a week ago, a workers strike threatened to upend the entire race weekend. Not to mention that ticket prices — which initially cost about $2,000, on the low end — and hotel room rates fell by as much as 75%. All of which has people wondering whether American interest in the sport is running out of gas: The US TV audience for F1 races has reportedly slipped by about 8% from last year, while global viewership of Netflix’s “Drive to Survive” is down 7%. Though, some say that may have to do with the season’s lack of drama. The Red Bull team and Verstappen already clinched this year’s constructors’ and drivers’ championships (aka, the season’s top titles) over a month ago.