F1 News
Mercedes wants partnership with Liberty Media in Las Vegas
- GPblog.com
Before the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Liberty Media bought a piece of land on 'The Strip' in Las Vegas. The F1 authority is looking at options to get a permanent base in the United States and is receiving interest from Mercedes.
To increase the popularity of Formula 1 in the United States, Liberty Media opted for large-scale expansion of the F1 calendar in the US. This means that from 2023, there will be as many as three US Grands Prix on the calendar. Two are already being held this year, but with the latest addition of Las Vegas, Formula 1 gains a significant foothold on land.
Liberty Media looking to gain a foothold
Liberty chief Brandon Snow believes that with the purchased piece of land in Las Vegas, a real presence has been created in Liberty Media's home market. Sports Business Journal quotes Snow: "Miami is great, but it's a partnership with The Dolphins [sports team] and the Hard Rock Stadium is theirs. Austin has COTA, it's a permanent track and it hosts other races. This [purchase in Las Vegas] gives us a strong position and a focal point for the US market."
The piece of land has been bought for 240 million and Liberty Media plans to invest even more in the place. The main uses of the piece of land are a permanent pit lane and paddock facilities, but Liberty wants to use the place for various events throughout the year. CEO Renee Wilm revealed that Mercedes has already made contact and would like to use the spot to host their car sales conferences in America.