The most expensive tickets in Formula 1

Formula 1 race tickets cut across a wide price range. At the top of the gamut, you’ll find Paddock tickets and VIP hospitality packages with lavish feasts and after-parties. Many businesses use these races for social events or casual business meetings. Individuals looking to impress friends or business partners have a few races to consider.

The Monaco Grand Prix has long been the epitome of Formula 1's glamor culture. However, the relatively recent addition of Abu Dhabi and now Las Vegas have taken the sport's luxury to new heights — sometimes literally. The three venues offer VIP hospitality packages tailored to the unique characteristics of their host cities, with each package seemingly more lavish than the last.

F1's hospitality options for the Monaco Grand Prix in late May have four official VIP terraces: bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. And that's not to mention the panoramic fan's club terrace. The platinum option is the most expensive. In exchange, fans receive panoramic views of the Circuit de Monaco and the surrounding areas from the upper floors of the buildings along the main straight, some of which are upwards of 15 stories tall.

The package offers terrace access from 10 AM to 6 PM and includes a continental breakfast, three-course lunch, and afternoon tea (or coffee, should you still be jet-lagged from your trip to the principality). There's also an open bar with wine, beer, soft drinks, and champagne from the eponymous wine region in neighboring France. They recommend that guests be eight years of age or older for safety reasons.

For an alternative fan experience, the three-day Panoramic VIP Fan's Club Terrace package (€5,610) places you in the 15th-floor penthouse of an apartment building on Rue Grimaldi called Le Panorama. Located on the outside edge of Sainte-Dévote, the circuit's first corner, the terrace provides views from the pit exit through Turn 1 to the steep ascent of Beau Rivage.

Ticket holders can also view the part of the track from the Nouvelle Chicane to Tabac Corner, where the drivers hit the harbor section. A television within the penthouse provides live coverage of the action around the rest of the 3.337 km circuit.

While hardcore racing fans will enjoy views of Monaco's best overtaking spots and a motorsport specialist who hosts the event, the penthouse offers something for everyone, no matter your racing interest. This package includes live DJ entertainment and appearances from special guests as well as hot and cold breakfast offerings, a buffet lunch, and sweet and savory afternoon refreshments.

Anyone above eight can attend, although guests over 18 can also enjoy a cocktail bar plus two complimentary glasses of champagne on Sunday for the post-race celebration.

If you want to make things more interesting, you could also watch the race from a yacht. First, you need to know that mooring fees at Port Hercules spike during the race weekend (as do hotel rooms and many other things in the principality). If you own a yacht, perhaps that’s all you need to worry about.

However, if you don't own one, all is not lost. One option for 2024 is the newly introduced official VIP Yacht Race Viewing ticket with perks similar to the terrace packages. Children have to be at least 15 years old to attend. You can also rent a yacht or buy a yacht hospitality ticket from third parties starting at around $3,500 for the weekend. Options include watching the race in person from the stern, where you can see the F1 drivers speed through the Port Hercules part of the track. You can also choose to watch the action on TV from a spa pool, bar, or lounge.

Similar to the F1 branded hospitality packages, the yacht packages offer alcoholic beverages from premium brands and soft drinks. In addition, you can enjoy a gourmet buffet lunch, guest appearances by former F1 drivers, and a post-race party to complete your weekend.

Boat International has a list of superyacht regulars at Port Hercules during race weekend. While they may not all offer spots for sale, it's likely a good place to start. You can also find more information about the yacht hospitality packages at Yacht Charter Fleet.

2023 saw rain hit the Monegasque coast, perhaps dampening the enjoyment of those hoping for the best luxury weekend. For an F1 experience that is certain to bring the heat, one of five hospitality packages for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in late November might fit the bill. Choose between the Shams Suite, Marina Views Suite, Luna Lounge, Sunset Lounge, or the exclusive Sunset Garage.

The latter, the Sunset Garage, is themed around a motorsport garage, with an entry price of over €2,500 for three days outside Yas Marina Circuit's newly reprofiled Turn 5 hairpin — the spot where Max Verstappen secured his maiden world drivers' championship by overtaking Lewis Hamilton on the last lap of the 2021 season.

The Sunset Garage also provides views of the undulating, high-speed Turns 3 and 4 and the DRS straight after Turn 5, where cars disappear into the sunset at speeds exceeding 200mph.

Only guests 21 and over can enjoy the racing from the Sunset Garage, which has an open bar with wine, beer, and soft drinks. You'll also find sharing platters, cooking stations, and individual canapés alongside à la carte specials.

Also available is the all-day entertainment in the oasis area, featuring music, DJs, and access to the Yasalam post-race concert. For those who want to start their weekends early, the package includes a walk down the circuit's pit lane on Thursday, while three-day ticket holders also get access to the F1 Fanzone on Thursday.

If none of that impresses you, consider hosting your own race party on a yacht taking advantage of F1 cruise packages offered on race weekend with marina passes for you and your guests.

In 2023, one week before the Abu Dhabi Finale, F1 wrapped up its Americas leg with the first-ever Las Vegas Grand Prix (not counting the Caesars Palace Grand Prix of the early 1980s), with the race held on Saturday night. A hospitality KN2 ticket for the event, at around $8,000 per person, offers vantage points from terraces along the Koval Straight, located between Turn 4 and Turn 5, along with an air-conditioned suite inside.

For 2024, more options have been introduced, with the top option being the Luxury Hospitality package, which promises 'the best seats in the house'. Tickets start at $12,500 for the Bellagio Fountain Club. Two additional options exist under this package: the Paddock Club and the Wynn Grid Club. You have to call in to get pricing on these and the available private suites.

A year ago, Cirque du Soleil and Blue Man Group provided attendees with Las Vegas–themed entertainment, along with local magicians, dancers, acrobats, and comedians. The options are likely to get better in 2024.

Flight prices and modes of transport vary for these three destinations, and depending on your preferred vehicular method, your F1 vacation price can rapidly inflate. Monaco and Abu Dhabi are accessible by water (we assume you've seen the superyachts), land, and air, so options are virtually limitless. For the Las Vegas race, a private jet may be the best option.