The simulators rotate through seven F1 tracks. Groups can compete against each other or as a team.
BOSTON.- The sound of a high-tech engine welcomes you when you open the door of the car for the first time. F1 Arcade in Boston’s Seaport District. Inside, the ceilings glow red with the outlines of the world’s iconic Formula 1 tracks.
The experience, paired with upmarket food and drinks on the simulators, has arrived in Boston, the first in the United States, following successful launches in London and Birmingham, England. More locations are planned in Washington, D.C., and Las Vegas, with the goal of having 30 worldwide by the end of 2027, an expansion that capitalizes on the series’ popularity since Netflix’s “Drive to Survive” series. (According to F1 Arcadehalf of F1 fans came to the sport in the last four years).
“Such a small number of people get to experience Formula 1 in person,” he said. Jon GardnerAmerican president of F1 Arcade“How do we take the excitement, the glitz and the glamour of Formula 1 and bring it to the mainstream?
“That emotion of being in an F1 car and feeling the energy, the excitement, the adrenaline, is what we try to recreate.”
According to the company, the UK locations will have around 400,000 visitors each in 2023, exceeding expectations with revenue of 16.5 million (£13 million) last year.
That helped F1 Arcade to raise nearly $38 million for its next phase.
Logos and other intellectual property that gives the simulators the feel of the real thing have been invested in and licensed.
It features a curved screen that displays the view from the cockpit and another to help identify one’s place on the track and five race modes, from rookie to elite.
“The level they can go to is exceptional,” Gardner said. “Formula 1 drivers have tried it, but what we’ve done is created and designed these for the everyday user, so a 7-year-old could use it.”
The simulators rotate through seven F1 tracks. Groups can compete against each other or as a team. A separate room is available for parties or corporate team-building events and a full bar and restaurant menu with oysters, caviar and a Wagyu beef burger, but also a children’s menu and non-alcoholic cocktails.
Although it is a lively atmosphere in the morning, the place becomes different after 7 pm.
“This is for everyone. No skills required. Ages seven to 107,” Gardner said.
