Five Things You Didn't Know About F1 Hospitality

How we deliver a world-class experience at the track

Formula One is one of the biggest sports in the world. Both on and off track, incredible teamwork and meticulous detail is required to build and prepare two F1 cars that deliver maximum performance.

The same can also be said for our Hospitality and Events programmes, providing an unforgettable experience for our partners and guests at every F1 race, thanks to the relentless work of our Marketing team.

Hospitality is something that often flies under the radar. A whole team of people working seamlessly in the background to deliver activations and experiences. But it requires a lot of preparation and quick-thinking on the ground to deliver the best programme possible at every race we visit.

Here are some things you might not know about the work of our Hospitality and Events team.

1. Our Clubs

Miami has become a focus race for our Marketing team since it joined the calendar in 2022 and Las Vegas will be added to that list, later this year. They're races with huge demand, thanks to the sport's boosted popularity in the USA, and are also popular for VIP guests and celebrities.

To cater for this demand, we debuted our Miami Club last year. Miami Club is a huge trackside operation that can house up to 850 people, with live DJs, entertainment, and views of the on-track action. We took our offering to an all-new level this year to deliver a best-in-class experience.

The level will be increasing further with the first Vegas Club later this year, which will also be able to host up to 850 guests. It will feature international DJs and entertainment you'd only get to see in ticketed shows normally in Vegas.

The Vegas Club is going to be spread across three floors, with each having a different theme, featuring different entertainment and cuisine. It's a huge operation and gives us an opportunity to show our partners and guests best in class hospitality.

2. Over a Year of Preparation

For our bigger projects like the Miami and Vegas Clubs, along with our Monaco programme, preparation can start over a year in advance. These races require completely different set-ups to normal with very different spaces and experiences to deliver.

There is a wider scope of work for our Marketing department to complete, involving a wider range of areas - not just our Hospitality team, but also Project Managers, Graphic Designers, the Communications team and Commercial.

While no experience at the track is 'standard', the smaller scale races still require a lot of work to prepare. We have three different Hospitality 'kits' that travel around the world to cater to the different spaces - different sizes, different amounts of equipment to ensure each race has what it needs.

3. That Extra Thing

As we continue to raise the bar and aim for world-class hospitality, we're always on the lookout for something extra. The next thing that can take our programme to new levels and make the experience even better.

Whether that's a new collaboration with The Ritz-Carlton on their own yacht, or the new Vegas Club, we're always trying to improve and keep ahead of the curve. That's incredibly exciting for our Marketing team and a huge challenge.

4. Unique Spaces

Alongside our Miami and Vegas Clubs, we also offer some unique hospitality spaces in Monaco - where there isn't a standard paddock club set-up. Alongside delivering our normal paddock and motorhome programme, for Monaco only we also have the addition of a yacht and penthouse apartment.

The penthouse apartment has stunning views over around two-thirds of the track and offers up a completely different experience to usual. The same can also be said for our Team Yacht, which was located this year next to the Nouvelle Chicane. The logistics are huge for the Hospitality and Events team, but it's always delivered seamlessly. Next year we'll be collaborating with The Ritz-Carlton on their own yacht.

5. The Guest List

When watching F1 from TV or from trackside, celebrities tend to garner a great deal of attention. With Mercedes-Benz being the eighth biggest brand in the world and with two well-connected drivers, we're fortunate to be able to host a wide range of celebs across the season in our different Hospitality programmes.

But the guest list isn't just focused on celebs. A big focus for us is hosting our existing partners, to ensure they have an amazing experience at the track, really get a sense of what F1 is all about and how their company is involved.

Whether that's through the Q&As with the drivers, the private garage tours, viewing gallery experiences and amazing view of the track, the aim is to deliver them a best-in class experience. We also work with our Commercial team on hosting prospective sponsors too, so we can show them why they should be involved in F1 and with our Team.