Going 200 MPH down the iconic Vegas strip in a McLaren supercar might be the closest a person can feel like the current F1 Champion, Lando Norris, but as a person who has been to Vegas several times, there’s actually so much more that really elevates it all to a true championship experience. After going to Las Vegas twice on two very different trips, I thought I was already an expert on the city. Of course, there’s always new buildings opening and a fun pop-ups that I’ve definitely haven’t seen before, but let me tell you first-hand that I’ve definitely never experienced Vegas like this.
To get the true McLaren championship experience, Hilton invited us out to the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix to see the race weekend up close. And as someone who has already gotten to experience an F1 race first-hand, it still was unlike any other experiences I’ve had before. And the best part? Hilton Honors members can actually make bids to also experience it for themselves. (They are provided on a rolling basis.) Fans can bid for VIP access to the races and, of course, a stay in a nearby Hilton property.
In fact, I got to meet two members who said it was actually their second time winning a bid for an F1 race with Hilton. It’s clear that it made an impact and made them want to do it again after first going to the Singapore Grand Prix earlier in the season.
So just how does the Lando Norris live it up in Vegas before one of the biggest races of his life? And just how can you re-create it yourself? They say what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, but we’re finally revealing his secrets and giving you his ultimate tips to taking on the city.
(P.S. The writer received free stays, meals, and experiences in order to write this story.)
Friday, November 21 – Qualifying Day
I was originally supposed to land in Vegas the day before to get the full weekend experience and check out the practice sessions, but life gets in the way sometimes and I instead took one of the first flights out to get into the city early in the morning. Luckily, my hotel room at the Conrad Las Vegas at Resorts World at was already ready for me and with my Hilton Diamond status allowed me to get my key quick and easily.
While my stay was at the Conrad, Norris was staying at the Waldorf Astoria at Las Vegas. Still, no matter which Hilton property he’s staying at, there’s certain things that he needs in order to ensure he’s still in perfect form for racing.
“Correct pillows are always important. It’s a simple thing, but I always stay at a lot of Hilton’s around the world and they always know what pillows or combination of pillows I like,” Lando notes.
Since racing requires them to go across various time zones throughout the season, sometimes with some pretty wild shifts, sleep is the most important thing.
“Even coming to Vegas, it’s a night race so we have to be up quite late. We go to sleep late, so blackout blinds are important so I can sleep well even through the morning when the sun’s up,” he continued. “Slippers in the room are always nice. Those I would say are like the all the most important things to me.”
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While I might not be a driver, the blackout curtains definitely came in handy as I caught up on some sleep from my flight in. Thankfully, I got enough shut eye before grabbing a drink with a Hilton representative at the Conrad’s Crystal Bar. The entire hotel changed up for the weekend into Race World, providing themed cocktails and other fun pop-ups including real F1 liveries throughout different spots and exclusive concerts in the bar’s club, Zouk.
After sharing a cheers, we headed straight to track and headed over to the Paddock Club, AKA the ultimate ticket in F1. Joining McLaren for the weekend, we immediately were welcomed into the lounge with a special goodie bag filled with new McLaren merch and a special themed slot machine where players can win special prizes.
Right outside the lounge is a special dedicated watch space, where guests can check out the start and finish line right ahead and see the garages down below. The Paddock Club also grants ticket holders with access to deluxe food like lobster, all the champagne you can possibly imagine, and even a sushi and oyster bar up on the roof. However, me and the Hilton rep were excited to also see gourmet pizza, hot dogs, and cotton candy on the menu. It’s all about balance, ya know?
Paddock Club members also get special dedicated times to check out the garages where you never know who you’ll bump into like some of our fave celebs or what you get to see, including mechanics working in real-time on the cars. We took in the rest of qualifying from the club level where Lando came in first place and the crowd cheered before heading back to relax for race day.
Saturday, November 22 – Race Day
After a whole day of travel and taking in qualifying, it was very important to start the second day with a bit of a reset. Thankfully, a 60-minute Himalayan Salt Stone Massage from Awana Spa had my name on it and it was truly the calm before the storm that I needed.
The spa, which is located in the second floor, features six vitality pools, a sauna, and a giant menu of treatments to choose from including facials and massages. Even in the hustle and bustle of Vegas, it was nice to take some time to unwind before it all kicked back up again at race day.
Immediately after, I hit up Wally’s at Resorts World, a restaurant, wine bar and specialty gourmet market all-in-one. This is the only location outside of Los Angeles, so it’s a special treat as someone who is coming in from the east coast. The Wood Oven Baked Brie is something that I still keep dreaming about to this day.
Lando revealed to me that his favorite go-to is Italian food, however, it’s hard to pick just one place to go to especially since, “I know the people who run the restaurants and the chefs, so I don’t want to pick just one. But there’s a lot of great Italian restaurants in some of the hotels.” Indeed, Resorts World features plenty of options including Brezza and Crossroads, and, of course, there’s also room service where there’s plenty of options if you’re looking for more of a night in.
After grabbing our new badges for the day, it was time to head back to the paddock, but not before stopping by Pirelli’s garage first. While I may never get behind an actual Formula 1 car, thankfully, I got the second best thing by taking part of a Pirelli Hot Lap. As my Hilton rep tells me, this is an exclusive experience that, unfortunately, you can’t really buy. But, they managed to score some spots for me and the other journalist on the trip to join McLaren and really experience the track for all its worth.
“Racing down the strip’s incredible with the lights, and The Sphere, all the things like that. There’s just a lot of unique things that you’ve seen in movies and you’ve seen all over the world,” Lando notes. “Then we just get to go and have fun and race around it.”
They warn us about the experience and how intense it will be. After all, we’re going almost 200 miles per hour with a professional driver taking us around for the short ride. I’m partnered with Nolan Siegel, an IndyCar diver for McLaren, who definitely had some fun with me on the ride. Shortly before we speed off, we notice Beyoncé two cars down getting ready for her hot lap. Yes, it’s *that* exclusive and here I was trying to make sure I didn’t panic before my ride.
Soon after, we return to the Paddock Club for the official race day. We get to walk around the garages again, even getting a private tour inside of McLaren’s. We walk through their iconic entrance that both Lando and his teammate, Oscar Piastri, pass by to get into their cars that feature their big wins over the years as a team, including their then-new win as Constructors’ Champions. It’s another fun perk that is not normally reserved for regular ticket holders, but did come included for those Hilton Honors members who won the experience.
Listen, we won’t talk about the results of the race because, if you know, you know. However, after grabbing some oysters up on the roof and heading down to the team’s premium hospitably for one last sip of bubbly, it was clear that Vegas successfully served up one wild ride.
We ended the night with a drink up at Allē Lounge on 66, where the breathtaking sights and the specialty drinks by expert mixologist Giorgio Bargiani was the perfect final toast to a great trip.
Sunday, November 23 – Travel Day
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and it was time to head back home. Luckily, I got a late flight out to be able to spend a bit more time in the city before officially heading back. I grabbed a bite over at Dawg House Saloon & Sports Book where I ordered some of the best grilled cheese while taking in the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys showdown. It was the closest I’ll get to Lando’s pre-race activity this trip: going to a football game.
“Yesterday, I went to my first football game. So if you’ve not been to the football game there’s some of the coolest stadiums here,” he revealed.
However, his post-race activity involves hitting a club at a local golf course.
“I always need to do my golf. There’s some great places like Summit Club, but there’s just a lot of cool places around here to go play golf,” Lando said. “So any trip, but also a Las Vegas trip, is not complete without a bit of golf.”
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Despite the heavy competition that he gets from his friends, he notes it’s the perfect way to unwind after a race weekend.
“It’s just a nice day out with your friends. It takes your mind off of things. We’re still competitive, so I guess in some ways it kind of warms you up. But, at the same time, it distracts you from the the job itself on the weekend, which is also a good thing.”
Unfortunately, I left my clubs behind this time around. But who knows what the next Vegas experience brings. At least, now I definitely know how to win big for next time!