The massive hotel transformed into the center of automotive culture and a gateway to Formula 1’s most ambitious race to date from November 10 to November 19.
The master of understatement is none other than Steve Weitman, president of Wynn Las Vegas. In a recent interview with Robb Report, he stated, “We had already started a concours, so we figured marrying the concours and F1 would be a good idea.” “We wanted to be the epicenter going into this.” Weitman refers to “this” in reference to the massive circus that visited the city for the Las Vegas Grand Prix last weekend, with his hotel and casino playing a central role in the events.
Bookending the 10-day auto fabulous was the second yearly Concours at Wynn Las Vegas — brandishing a field of 280 contestants going from exemplary travelers to former period race vehicles — and the exceptionally expected Las Vegas Stupendous Prix, the penultimate race of the 2023 Equation 1 season. The last option denoted whenever the GP first got back to Nevada since the Caesars Castle Terrific Prix in 1982.
On Saturday, November 11, the 2023 Concours at Wynn Las Vegas contained both a presentation — including hypercars, elective fuel models, idea vehicles, and vehicles with social pertinence — and a challenge of show vehicles decided across 13 classes. The two champions were a 1935 Duesenberg SJ and a 1969 Lamborghini Miura S granted Best of Show for prewar and post bellum classifications, individually. Robb Report’s own Fantasy Machine grant went to a 1925 “Round Entryway” Rolls-Royce Ghost I Streamlined Car.
The next morning was started off by Wynn’s Visit d’Elegance, an out-and-back march along the Strip that was driven by police. The 50 or more vehicles making up the parade were fronted by Joel Laub’s 1929 Bentley Speed Six, promptly followed by the new and all-electric Rolls-Royce Ghost — the two vehicles giving a striking juxtaposition of English execution and refinement, then and presently.
Additionally part of the multiday writing computer programs was Robb Report’s Place of Robb enactment at Wynn’s Estate Fairway 100. For six days, the area turned into the nexus of connoisseurship, from exemplary Rolex watches to design meetings from the group at Mr. Watchman to tests of cooking from any semblance of Gourmet expert Wolfgang Puck and a portion of the district’s most encouraging new culinary stars. Sprinkled were directed boards that fluctuated in theme from tech to style patterns to collectible vehicles.
The Excellence in Motion panel, which included 2009 Formula 1 champion Jenson Button, CEO of Liberty Media (the company that owns Formula 1), CEO of the Las Vegas Grand Prix Renee Wilm, and CEO of Liberty Media Greg Maffei, brought the discussions to a close on November 16. All three speakers shared their insights into what to expect from the upcoming race and what it took to make it happen.
But before the drivers took the starting lineup, PGA heavyweights Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Max Homa, and Rickie Fowler teamed up with racers Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, Carlos Sainz, and Lando Norris for the Netflix Cup at the Wynn Golf Club. That was a whole different kind of drive. Sainz and Thomas triumphed in the first live sporting event that Netflix televised, but many others criticized the entire event as a tacky marketing gimmick.
On November 17, RM Sotheby’s auction house held a different kind of head-to-head competition, offering collectors an opportunity to bid on a few unique cars that were on display at Wynn’s 1,600-seat Awakening theater. A 2021 McLaren Elva brought in $1,517,500 at the James Cordon-hosted auction, a 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster sold for $1,765,000, and Lewis Hamilton’s 2013 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 W04 brought in a handsome $18,815,000.
The week also featured performances by Jay Leno, a first peek of the Michael Mann film Ferrari, which starred Adam Driver, Penélope Cruz, and Patrick Dempsey, and events at Wynn’s XS nightclub featuring Calvin Harris, the Chainsmokers, and Swedish House Mafia, among others.
However, Formula 1 was the major attraction, with a race that attracted a worldwide audience never seen before. The Wynn offered a range of accommodations and race selections for that act. Among the best of these were memberships in the prestigious Paddock Club and Wynn Grid Club, as well as a million-dollar purchase that gave the buyer access to the most exclusive events, all while using a three-bedroom apartment as base camp complete with butler service.
After learning a few mistakes the last time around, Wynn Las Vegas is already planning to make changes to its program in light of Formula 1’s 10-year commitment to the city. Regarding intentions to create a little buffer between the two events, Weitman states, “We’re going to decouple [the concours and the F1] for next year.” “It’s excessive for visitors.” Overindulgence in Vegas? Who would have thought?
