The Price of Speed: Inside F1’s Billion-Dollar Weekend

Tourism, tension, and turbocharged inequality.

Author

Passport Insights
September 14, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

🎬 Opening Scene

A weekend. A city stands still.

What place transforms into a racetrack, a fashion runway, and a global stage, all at once?

For 72 hours, engines roar, tourists clink their glasses, and phones capture every moment. Then, silence returns. The stands disappear, jets take off, and hotels quiet down. The only thing that remains is the memory… and the cost of having lived it.

🏛️ Origin

From Closed Circuit to Global Stage

The journey of Formula 1, from an elite European sport to a global entertainment giant, is quite a story! But what were the key moments that changed it forever?

Originally a technical competition for the European elite, F1’s biggest transformation came in the 1970s. That’s when Bernie Ecclestone took over the commercial rights and turned it into a global TV spectacle. Circuits expanded beyond Europe, and the sport’s popularity exploded.

Then, in 2017, Liberty Media’s acquisition ushered in the modern era of F1. They transformed the sport into a content machine and a luxury tourism experience. Today, races in places like Miami and Las Vegas are more than just competitions, they're high-octane showcases of speed, opulence, and a can't-miss VIP lifestyle.

🔬The Phenomenon

Have you ever noticed how one sporting event can both paralyze and revitalize a city at the same time?

During a Grand Prix weekend, the city's pulse completely changes. Hotels fill up 100%, special menus appear, and VIP packages sell out. With more than 6.15 million attendees in 2023, Formula 1 generates a massive tourism influx that, while brief, leaves a deep economic footprint.

Each Grand Prix attracts a crowd of 150,000 to 400,000 people, a number that has grown thanks to the diversity of ways to experience it. Today, you can enjoy the race from a general admission ticket costing a few hundred dollars to an exclusive experience priced at $20,000.

The Drive to Survive series has played a key role, turning F1 into a global phenomenon and its protagonists into celebrities. This has attracted new audiences who now travel the world following the season.

For host cities, being on the F1 calendar isn't just an honor; it's a multi-million-dollar tourism opportunity. The spectacle extends beyond the track, reaching rooftops, luxury yachts, and exclusive parties, making the experience simply irresistible.

🌍 What This Says About the World

Formula 1 is a sport that sparks debate! Have you ever wondered why it evokes so much passion and, at the same time, so much discomfort?

For some, it's a celebration of engineering, technology, and glamour. An event that boosts local economies, puts cities on the world map, and offers a spectacle few other sports can match.

But for others, it's a paradox on wheels. An elite sport that, while opening up to the masses, still maintains invisible barriers. A showcase of innovation that also raises questions about its environmental impact, inequality, and inclusion.

When the engines turn off, the conversation continues on social media, forums, and news outlets.

⚠️ The Dark Side

F1 is an event that generates far more than engine noise. When it arrives, the local pulse of a city transforms, but not always for the better.

Have you ever wondered why protests erupt in places like Montreal, Las Vegas, and São Paulo every year? The road closures, extreme noise, and local inflation fuel a debate about what some call "temporary gentrification." The benefits are concentrated in luxury hotels, global brands, and visiting elites, while neighborhoods are affected by traffic blockades and soaring prices.

Behind the glamour, there's an invisible crew of thousands of workers: from setup and cleaning to security. In host cities like Qatar and Saudi Arabia, human rights organizations have reported precarious labor conditions and violations, raising questions about the true cost of a Grand Prix.

Despite the green tech, F1's carbon footprint is huge. Constant travel, temporary infrastructure, and high-impact tourism create tons of waste and high water consumption. Often, sustainability feels like nothing more than a slogan.

And when everything is torn down, the question remains: who really won the race?

📌 Curiosities

  1. A driver’s helmet can cost over $15,000 and is a high-tech, customized masterpiece.

  2. In cities like Monaco, Singapore, and Las Vegas, ordinary streets transform into temporary F1 race tracks.

  3. Formula 1 moves over 1,400 tons of equipment across more than 20 countries each season.

  4. The Monaco Grand Prix has the highest price per square meter on the calendar.

  5. Some fans travel to more than 10 races a year, with budgets exceeding $100,000.

After all the luxury and adrenaline, the fundamental question remains:

What’s left when the engines stop and the crowd disperses?

Beyond the noise and lights, what real mark does this fleeting spectacle leave on cities, people, and the planet?