Formula 1 Recap-apalooza: The Soap Opera Las Vegas Doesn't Want But Can't Resist

The last couple of days, a lot of people have asked me how Formula 1 in Las Vegas was. I guess I was pretty loud about it on social media—and for good reason. The word that keeps coming to mind when I think about it is core memory. It was that kind of weekend.

Here's the thing about core memories: over time, they get fuzzy. That's why I'm writing this down now, to lock it into the old memory bank. If you’ve got a few minutes, I really encourage you to check out what I wrote over at BroBible about the weekend. It was an absolute blast to put together and explains the context for my attendance a little more.

I can't emphasize enough how incredible the Vegas F1 race was. I'm a sucker for an old-fashioned cultural spectacle, and this was exactly that—on the grandest scale I’ve ever experienced.

Work-wise, it was a non-stop content and networking extravaganza, and I'm still processing how epic every moment felt. Sometimes, us writers and content creators or whatever the heck we're called get invited on press trips, and while they might look cool online, there’s often an unspoken reality that sucks. Lame attendees who complain about everything, self-obsessed influencers high on their own supply, underwhelming activations, too much forced socializing, not enough free time to do things yourself, or awkward PR marketing asks that should really just be ads. I’ve got stories for days about how weird these things can get. 10 years ago I loved them, but these days, I value my time differently and really don't really enjoy them, unless there's a purpose that aligns with my agenda at the highest level for BroBible.

I Asked F1’s Yuki Tsunoda And Liam Lawson About Finding Their Lane In Vegas—And We Ended Up Debating In-N-Out Orders

In Vegas, when the circus comes to town, it’s hard to tell who’s performing. Drivers. Fans. Influencers. And now, Ford Motor Company, gearing up to make a

BroBibleBrandon Wenerd

But this wasn’t like that. The people were excellent, the vibes were unreal, and the whole thing was dialed in perfectly. I treated it like a content mission to in my battle against things getting stale, trying to make some cool stuff that elevates what we're capable of at BroBible. Not to sound too cocky, but I think I'm going to crush that mission.

This was my first Formula 1 race too. I've been lucky enough to go to a bunch of NASCAR races, including the Dayton 500 in 2019, so that's sort of my frame of reference. I learned quickly, based on vibes alone, this isn't a great frame of reference at all. I have a whole new appreciation for how Formula 1 is completely different from, well... anything.

There's so much to unpack about this race: the drama with the teams and drivers, of course. But the real intrigue for me lies in the soap opera surrounding the event itself. Locals in Las Vegas absolutely hate it. Like, hate it with the ferocity of 1000 suns kind of hate. It's deep-seated. Honestly, who could blame them? The city gets turned upside down for four days of chaos, all for 90 minutes of breathtaking, hyper-futuristic TV visuals that feel like something straight out of a video game. The road construction involved has taken years. The build-out for the race itself, months. The traffic logjams it causes are a huge, inconvenient pain in the ass. In some cases, those closures and logjams affect earning potential, creating a frenzy of emotion that everyone yaps about it, just to get it off their chest.

When I was in Vegas for Phish at the Sphere in April, pretty much every Lyft and Uber drive complained about it, which gets super annoying when you're just in town for a good time. Look, I get it. But I'll be honest—hearing how much people hated it just kind of made me want to go to it more.

Meanwhile, the casinos and the capitalistic overlords who run Vegas absolutely love it. The race draws in a crowd with deep pockets and a willingness to part with their money, making it a jackpot for the city’s bottom line. In 2023, it generated more tax revenue than any other event in Las Vegas history. The full economic impact was estimated at $1.5 billion dollars. F1 visitors in 2023 spent 3.6 times what a typical Vegas visitor would spend, with an average visit of 4 days at over $4000. That trickles down the service economy ladder, depending on what you do in Vegas. Heck, Wynn Casino dealers reportedly took home $2000 after their shifts on the Saturday of the race last year.

The tension between furious residents and the profit-driven machine that fuels the city? The spectacle versus the practical? All this juicy conflict creates a news cycle that’s great for our business at BroBible.

I love that Formula 1 is so European at its core—steeped in tradition, precision, and luxury. But in Vegas, it morphs into something else entirely. It becomes so uniquely, unapologetically American: bigger, louder, flashier. It's the perfect analogy for these crazy modern tensions we all feel—how helpless we are against mega tech corporations or the richest-of-rich gazillionaires in the bourgeoisie who call the shots.

I love that this race is a damn good metaphor.

Sometimes, I have to pinch myself—after 15+ years of building BroBible, there are still moments that feel like unlocking a new level of life: core memories and, of course, killer content opportunities. This kind of coverage is what I love doing most and I hope that by zeroing in on stories about interesting people, I'll get better at making it more impactful.

Huge thanks to the amazing teams at Ford and Red Bull Racing for bringing me out to the desert for a weekend I’ll never forget. Special shout out to Frankie Muniz for keeping things safe (and absurdly fast) during our Mustang Dark Horse hot lap around the track. Truly surreal.

I’ve got so much more to share from this trip—including a podcast episode with Shaun White about his F1 experience and some writing I’m really proud of. Gratitude feels like a good theme for today, it being Thanksgiving and all, and I just feel so much gratitude for the people and paths that have helped me get to do such a thing in life. If you're reading this, you're probably one of them. Truly, thank you.

OK!

Please don't forget to go read what I wrote over at BroBible! TYSVM!!!

Some moments from the four days in the desert:

• Before I left LA, I interviewed F1 drivers Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson. Wrote a lot about that over at BroBible.
• Had a great time meeting the team from Ford Motor Company, who will join Formula 1 as the new engine supplier for Red Bull Racing. More on that in the article I wrote on BroBible.
• Ripped around off-roading in the Mojave with a Baja 500 and 1000 driver, Allen, in a Ford Bronco Raptor. Allen's a true car nut, a heck of a good off-roading instructor, and was a stunt driver in Fast and Furious movies after getting out of the Army. There's no doubt in my mind he'll be a wonderful future podcast subject.
• Met Zedd IRL, the subject of the second episode of my podcast. Always fun to connect.
• Witnessed Aston Martin hosting a dance party on pit lane at 12:30AM complete with a DJ after race qualifying. Video of that on the BroBible TikTok.
• Toured Red Bull Racing's garage, got some photo ops with a F1 car steering wheel (see below)
• Did a hot lap around the Las Vegas Grand Prix track in a Ford Mustang Dark Horse with Frank Muniz from Malcom in the Middle as the driver, hitting 150 MPH. Video of that on my Instagram.
• Said hi to F1 driver Checo Pérez (see below)
• Watched a Deadmau5 show in the Red Bull paddock.
• Watch Red Bull's Max Verstappen win his fourth Formula 1 World Championship and the celebration from the team that ensued.
• Running on cold brew, Gerolsteiner Mineral Water (great for rapid rehydration!), and pure adrenaline, rallied to crawl out of bed at 7 AM after a late night to drive five hours back to Los Angeles, hellbent on not missing the Philadelphia Eagles playing the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football in my own backyard.
• Managed to get to SoFi Stadium in time for an hour of tailgating and then witnessed Saquon Barkley's mind-blowing game at SoFi Stadium. 255 yards, two touchdowns, 9.8 yards per carry, 302 total yards, 47 receiving yards, 4 receptions, and, overall, one of the most historic single-game performances in NFL history. So many Go Birds and high-fives were had.
• Interviewed 3x Olympic gold medalist snowboarder Shaun White over Zoom on Tuesday morning about his experience on a hot lap with Frankie Muniz. Coming soon.

What a weekend. What a memory. Stay tuned for more.