Today’s version of the Las Vegas Grand Prix is ​​dramatically different from the original race of the early 1980s, which was glamorously held in the parking lot of Caesar’s Palace. Firstly, it features a 6.8 kilometer city course with DRS zones and a legendary blast over the (in)famous Sin City Strip. With a few long straights, drivers can reach more than 350 km/h at various points. Max Verstappen likes to say that the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit is a boring ride, but last year saw manhole covers ruin cars and Verstappen himself achieved a nail-biter of a victory.

It will be very late evening (10pm PST, 1am ET) or early morning (6am GMT) depending on where in the world you look, but this is Vegas – time doesn’t exist in the same way it does everywhere else. It also means there’s no bad time for a drink. That’s why we teamed up with Ben Wald, the head of beverage programming and spirits at the Flatiron Room in New York City, to mix three Las Vegas Grand Prix-inspired cocktails.

For a fun game, take a sip whenever you see Brad Pitt – as himself or as Sonny Hayes from the upcoming ‘F1’ movie.

The straight shot

Photo by: Adobe Stock

Between turns 12 and 14 is the sharp, fast bend of turn 13, followed by a straight stretch of 1.9 kilometers (and a DRS zone). Motorists drive past here at a speed of more than 338 km/h. “The idea of ​​the cars being there and then gone in a second reminds me of a gunshot,” Wald says. For this drink, Wald draws on a classic M&M drink—equal parts mezcal and Amaro Montenegro—and notes that while you can enjoy it as a shot, it can also be Also pour it over ice and drink it like a cocktail. “And you can process it in batches by mixing it in equal parts,” says Wald. Your choice of bitters can push the drink in any direction; use habanero bitters for a spicy version, black walnut for a richer version, or orange for more spice.

Ingredients:

• 1 part Amaro Montenegro
• 1 part mezcal (Wald uses Gracias a Dios)
• 2-4 dashes of bitters of your choice

Steps:

1. Place all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until cooled. Pour it into a shot glass or over ice in a rock glass. Garnish with an orange peel if you choose the latter.

Smoked 90

Photo by: Ben Wald

At the end of Koval’s straight lies Turn 5, a 90-degree right turn that requires a second gear so drivers don’t overcook the corner and crash into the wall like Alex Albon did during FP3 last year . Expect some brake lockup here early in the race before the tires warm up in the cool nighttime desert air, and later, if anyone is brave enough, a late overtaking attempt. “In case of a crash or tire smoke, let’s use a smoked gin in a pickle,” says Wald. “I also like this drink because, like the corner, it is soft at the beginning and full at the end of the sip.” For extra points, after dropping the Angostura onto the egg white foam, drag a toothpick through the drops to draw a corner on the drink.

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces Botanical gin
• 0.75 ounces lime juice
• 0.5 ounces simple syrup
• 1 egg white
• Angostura bitters

Steps:

1. Mix everything except the bitters in a shaker. Shake without ice for 15 seconds
2. Add ice. Shake for another 15 seconds
3. Strain the drink twice into a coupe glass
4. Add drops of bitter to the foam

Bol Roemer

Photo by: Ben Wald

In Turns 6 through 8, drivers circle the Vegas-only Sphere before accelerating to eighth gear and then pressing the brakes for a chicane. It’s a tough exchange, especially when a position is at stake. Wald’s take on a Miami punch uses Allspice Dram liqueur and Applejack brandy to bring some herbal and fall flavors to this rum-based cocktail. “The allspice notes appear around the end of your sip,” says Wald. “It’s a solid presence, but not overcrowded.”

Ingredients:

• 1.5 ounces of Diplomatico rum
• 0.5 ounces Laird’s Applejack brandy, although Wald notes that any Applejack will do
• 0.5 ounces of apple cider
• 0.25 ounces St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram
• 0.25 ounces fresh lime juice

Steps:

1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake until cold and then serve in a tall glass over crushed ice.