F1 knew it couldn’t lean on quite the same intrigue for its second visit to Las Vegas. It also couldn’t realistically expect to repeat the money-spinning success of year one, which generated half a billion dollars for the local economy and $77 million in tax revenue, outstripping all expectations.

Four days of racing mayhem and adventures gave me a crash course into the world of Formula 1, and I would do it all again in a heartbeat

While experts predict this year’s race will pull in slightly less than the $500 million or so in revenue for Formula 1 and the $1.5 billion in Las Vegas economic impact achieved in last year’s race, the contest and its weeklong festivities will still be a boon for all those involved.