Formula 1 fans headed to the Las Vegas Grand Prix will soon have a new way to get there: a self-driving Zoox robotaxi. Zoox and Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc. have announced a multi-year partnership naming the autonomous vehicle company the event's Official Autonomous Ride Hail Partner, with fan rides set to begin in 2027.
Under the deal, Zoox will offer fans rides to and from the race starting in 2027, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The newspaper reports that Grand Prix Plaza, at the northeast corner of Harmon Avenue and Koval Lane, will feature a dedicated zone for Zoox pickups and drop-offs. FOX5 Las Vegas reports that the arrangement also includes Zoox activations across the city throughout race week.
Brendan Dolby, vice president of commercial at Las Vegas Grand Prix Inc., said the partnership is intended to extend beyond race week itself, according to FOX5 Las Vegas. He added that the collaboration showcases future mobility on a global stage, the station reports.
Zoox Brings Its Robotaxi Pitch to a Global Stage
Carly Wyatt, Zoox's vice president of experience, communications and marketing, framed the deal as a pairing of engineering with Las Vegas culture. Wyatt said the partnership brings together a shared commitment to engineering and innovation with the people and energy that make the city so special, per the Review-Journal's reporting. FOX5 Las Vegas also reports Wyatt said the move brings autonomous transportation to a major sports and cultural event and that Zoox's purpose-built robotaxi was designed around the rider.
This is not Zoox's first foray into Formula 1. The company already has an existing relationship with the Atlassian Williams F1 Team, according to FOX5 Las Vegas. That earlier tie-up made Zoox an Official Regional Partner of Williams Racing on a multi-year agreement, per Williams Racing, which described it as the first time an autonomous vehicle company had partnered with a Formula 1 team. Williams also said a Zoox robotaxi would be on display at the team's Las Vegas Fan Zone at the New York-New York hotel throughout race week.
From Free Rides to a Commercial Launch
The Grand Prix partnership builds on momentum Zoox has already built in Las Vegas this year. The company began offering paid robotaxi rides in the city on Aug. 10, calling it its first commercial launch, according to CNBC. Those paid rides connected major hotels with entertainment venues including Area15, Sphere and Harry Reid International Airport, the Review-Journal reports.
By the time of the August launch, Zoox said it had transported nearly 1 million riders combined across Las Vegas, San Francisco, Austin and Miami since it began offering free rides, per CNBC. But riding a Zoox hasn't come cheap. A Review-Journal comparison of six trips from the Excalibur found Zoox averaged $22.62 per ride, 57 percent higher than Lyft's $14.44 average on the same routes.
It remains to be seen how fares, booking, and service hours will work for the 2027 Grand Prix rides, details that have not yet been spelled out publicly. For now, the partnership marks another step in Zoox's push to position its robotaxis as fixtures of major Las Vegas events, from the Strip's casino floors to the Grand Prix's starting grid.
