Has motor racing replaced boxing as the Las Vegas sport at which to be seen? If the Formula One Grand Prix has its way, it will. The racing organization’s first Las Vegas race since the Caesars Palace Grand Prix in 1982 certainly brought some famous folks to town for the Saturday event, with Rod Stewart, Terry Crews, Shaquille O’Neal, and Gordon Ramsay in the stands on the step-and-repeat.
Belgian and Dutch driver Max Verstappen was the top driver on the Strip-adjacent, 3.853-mile street track, which was built for the event. The 50-lap race, which is expected to be held annually for the next decade, runs a total of 192.599 miles.
Was there a rhyme or reason for what celebrities were in attendance? Sometimes! Singer Rod Stewart is a well-known gearhead, Brad Pitt is making a Formula One movie, and Anthony Mackie is in the driving-as-combat-sport video game adaptation Twisted Metal. So, sure.
For others, the connection to racing was less clear—but with the spectacle of fast cars racing next to over-the-top casinos, maybe that’s reason enough to attend.
More Great Stories From Vanity Fair
The post Las Vegas Grand Prix Brings Brad Pitt, Rihanna, Lupita Nyong’o, and Other Stars to the Strip appeared first on Vanity Fair.