Daniel Ricciardo has expressed his desire for F1 to remain accessible to all amid high ticket prices for this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The high-profile event is one of the most anticipated in the F1 history but has come under fire for ticket prices.
With on-track action set to begin tomorrow, three-day grandstand ticket options remain available with prices starting from a whopping $3,072.74, according to the official F1 website.
A one-day pass is also still available, and far less expensive, the cheapest being a single-day Friday pass running a cool $768.19.
That’s despite prices falling in recent days as the event gets closer – standard practice in Vegas, according to organisers who anticipate strong last-minute take up from the east coast.
However, Ricciardo is mindful of ensuring all fans have the opportunity to attend, not just the wealthy.
“I guess, like all things, you need a balance,” Ricciardo said.
“I did hear some entry-level prices; I’m well aware that not everyone can afford those. I would love that everyone can have the option to attend.
“Obviously, I’m not the business behind the sport, but maybe it’s, I don’t want to say it’s my ignorance, but I would still love that a general admission [ticket] is affordable for anyone, whatever job they are.
“Of course, if there’s then some crazy packages, and that people want to spend that money, all good, so be it, but I guess I don’t like to hear that ‘we would have loved to have come but we simply couldn’t afford it’.”
However, while aware of some fans’ inability to attend due to high prices, he also understands that could be part of the model the business is employing.
“I’m not saying maybe I agree with it, but maybe just is that this is that little outlier of a weekend where that’s the crowd that they kind of want to go after,” he observed.
“If that’s what it is, then obviously that’s their business plan.
“I obviously don’t like… I see everyone’s got different lifestyles and levels of income, so it’d be nice that the sport remains accessible for everyone.”
In February, an analysis of 2023 ticket prices carried out by Speedcafe identified Las Vegas as the second most expensive race of the year to attend on a general admission ticket at $725, with Miami being the most expensive at $855.50.
At the other end of the spectrum was the Mexico City Grand Prix, which fans could attend for just $81.60.
Ticket prices for the Australian Grand Prix fell slightly above average at $374.95, with the race day allocation for the 2024 F1 event already exhausted.
All prices in Australian dollars
Discussion about this post