The F1 Arcade in Seaport hosted a VIP launch party April 18 to celebrate its April 22 grand opening. Inspired by Formula 1, or F1, attendees competed in races using state-of-the-art racing simulators and enjoyed a variety of food and drinks.
Outside the arcade, attendees received an up-close look and took photos and videos of the RB19, one of the most dominant F1 cars in the sport’s history. The doors to the arcade opened at 6 p.m. and guests were given a chance to enter a contest to win tickets to the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix.
For the event’s first hour, guests were free to explore the arcade and enjoy complimentary drinks. Champagne, cocktails and beer were all on the house for VIPs as they began to settle in for a night of fun.
Food was served around 7 p.m. as the chefs treated guests to mini wagyu burgers, tuna tartare bites, cocktail shrimp and more.
When not indulging in decadent food and drinks, the guests were enjoying unlimited racing in the arcade simulators. Simulators were spread all throughout the F1 Arcade. Each simulator had five difficulty levels: rookie, casual, semi-pro, pro and elite. As the difficulty level went up, the assists, which helped with handling and automatic gear shifting, went down. The higher the difficulty, the more control players had.
The venue was sectioned off to allow for various atmospheres. Most notably, the Briefing Room had a smaller bar and a much more relaxed feel than the main area and boasted beautiful views of the Seaport skyline. Most simulators were in section P1, with easy access to the main bar.
The opening of the F1 Arcade helped pave the way for the expansion of F1 in the United States. The motorsport has already seen growth with the Netflix docuseries “Drive to Survive,” and there is hope that the arcade will draw in more fans. While F1 remains the most viewed motorsport on a global scale, NASCAR is currently the most viewed motorsport in the U.S.
Reservations can be made on the F1 Arcade website for racing or watch parties.
