Formula 1 teams give nod to Las Vegas with liveries, helmets, suits

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix is set for Saturday night. Several Formula 1 teams are unveiling special liveries, helmets, and suits that are paying tribute to Las Vegas. Let's take a look.

Oracle Red Bull Racing

A fan actually designed the Red Bull livery as part of the Make Your Mark competition. According to Red Bull, before the season began, they announced they would give fans the opportunity to design their livery for the three races in America: Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas. The Las Vegas design features a purple base with purple and yellow neon lights going through the bodywork. It was designed by Lindsay Palmer, who is from Essex in the UK.

"When thinking about what represents Vegas, the first thing that came to mind were the casinos and the bright lights so I knew that had to be incorporated in my design," said Palmer, who is in Las Vegas for the race. "I wanted the style to emulate the cars whizzing past the neon lights and I had to make sure playing cards were added too."

The wheel covers are also getting a special makeover for this weekend. They have been designed to look like poker chips and features PokerStars' Red Spade, which makes the company the first sponsor to co-brand Red Bull's wheel covers.

Oracle Red Bull Racing

Drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez are also wearing specialized helmets for the race. Verstappen's features neon while Perez's features playing cards, a roulette wheel, and the Las Vegas skyline.

The Vegas them is even carried on down to the driver's suits. on Saturday morning, Red Bull unveiled the look, which was inspired by Elvis Presley.

Scuderia Ferrari

The Scuderia Ferrari team is throwing back their livery to the same look from the late 1970s and 1980s, which the company called the first "golden age" of Formula 1 in America. From 1976-1984, 19 World Championship races were run in the USA, including the 1981 and 1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix. The Ferrari livery on the track tonight is a red and white color scheme that honors vehicles from that era.

Scuderia Ferrari

Driver Charles Leclerc will be wearing a helmet that features the Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas sign, dice, and poker chips while driver Carlos Sainz is wearing a helmet with a slot machine, horseshoe, tickets, and lettering that is reminiscent of old-school Las Vegas signs.

Aston Martin

Driver Fernando Alonso chose a helmet that pays homage to magicians with his number coming out of a hat as well as cards, poker chips, dice, and the Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas sign.

Williams Racing

Williams Racing is featuring the Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas sign on the back of their vehicles and the lettering is based on signs found in the Neon Boneyard at the neon Museum. There is also the outline of the State of Nevada on the back of the vehicle.

Williams Racing

Driver Alex Albon will be featuring a cartoonized version of the Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas sign as well as a desertscape of the valley.

Alfa Romeo

The Alfa Romeo team is also unveiling a design inspired by playing cards. They revealed it at the Aria casino earlier this week.

Driver Valtteri Bottas decided go with a Planet Vegas theme.

Haas Racing

Driver Kevin Magnussen took inspiration from the movie Sin City for his helmet, which also features the Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas sign.

Honorable Mention: Alpine

While there racecars and driver helmets may not specifically honor Las Vegas, Alpine chose another mode of transportation to honor the valley. The team partnered up with The Venetian Resort for the race. Several gondolas inside the resort were given new wraps that match the team's colors. Driver Pierre Gasly even got the chance to become a gondolier.

The Opening Ceremony is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. with the race set to start at 10 p.m.