Ex-F1 driver 'would not be shocked' if King Charles attends Las Vegas Grand Prix

Bellagio Grandstands — Photo: © LAT Images

Las Vegas Grand Prix

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Could King Charles make an appearance at the 'biggest race in F1 history'?

Cal Gaunt

Tuesday 14 November 2023 16:57 Updated: 23:57

American Former F1 driver Willy T Ribbs has said he would "not be shocked" if King Charles attended the Las Vegas Grand Prix as the event gets underway with a lavish opening ceremony on Wednesday night.

After three years and hundreds of millions of dollars spent, Formula 1 is set for a significant moment in the American spotlight.

As F1 fans all over the globe anticipate an incredible weekend in Sin City, few are as excited as Ribbs, who became the first black driver to test an F1 car in 1986.

Prince Harry recently visited the United States Grand Prix - could his father be tempted by the bright lights of Vegas?

Willy T Ribbs believes the Las Vegas Grand Prix is the 'biggest race in racing history'

Vegas set to be 'insane'

Speaking to the Independent, Ribbs believes the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix is the "biggest race in racing history".

“It is going to be mega," he said.

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"I would not be shocked if King Charles showed up. I would not be shocked because the A-list is going to be insane.

"You’re going to be bumping into more celebrities and sports stars than you will fans.

The Las Vegas street circuit will see the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen for the very first time

“Without any hyperbole, it will be the biggest race in racing history. That encompasses everything – the most talked about and the most glamorous.

"If you look at Las Vegas, it has a history of putting on the biggest event – whether it’s a boxing fight or an NFL game.”

Not everyone is quite so thrilled by F1's arrival, though, with disruptions caused by extensive construction projects, sparking some discontent among locals and tourists in the city in recent months.

That said, Formula 1 is confident that the race will contribute over $1 billion to local businesses.