There’s burning love and rubber in Las Vegas this weekend, with former Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve getting married in the Grand Prix paddock.
52-year-old Villeneuve, who won the 1997 world championship, tied the knot with partner Giulia Marra in the newly-opened wedding chapel. The wedding was overseen by an Elvis Presley impersonator, with Ferrari’s Jock Clear – who was Villeneuve’s championship-winning engineer with Williams – given the honour of best man.
Couples and race fans are now able say their vows inside the chapel through a special wedding package. The official F1 Las Vegas Twitter account confirmed the news of Villeneuve and Marra’s wedding by sharing photos of the couple, adding the caption: “Married in Vegas: F1 style.”
Another post from F1 Las Vegas’ Instagram page showed the bride wearing a classic white gown as she walked down the aisle to meet her Canadian husband-to-be. The Elvis impersonator sung a rendition of ‘Here Comes The Bride’ in true Vegas style.
Former driver Villeneuve is the son of Ferrari legend Gilles, who died after being involved in an accident during qualifying for the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix. Friday’s ceremony added to the carnival atmosphere in Vegas, with Sunday’s Grand Prix bringing celebrities far and wide to Sin City.
The focus on what’s been happening off the track rather than on it has angered those in the sport, particularly three-time world champion Max Verstappen. During the first round of qualifying on Friday, fears that Vegas wasn’t fully prepared for the actual racing were realised, as an uncovered manhole saw Ferrari star Carlos Sainz forced to end his run after picking up damage.
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Denise Truscello – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
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Dan Istitene – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Verstappen warned F1 organisers earlier this week about turning the event into a celebrity-filled bonanza instead of a sporting spectacle. “I think it is 99 per cent show, 1 per cent sport,” the irked Red Bull driver explained, as quoted by Reuters. “They [Formula 1] still make money if I like it or not, so it is not up to me. But I’m not going to fake it. I always voice my opinion in positive things, in negative things, that’s just how I am. It’s not really my thing. Some people like a show, I don’t like it at all.”
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The Las Vegas strip has been transformed into an F1 circuit for a unique weekend of action as the 2023 season nears its close. With the second-longest circuit on the calendar, and a fresh surface, there is set to be plenty of unknowns and you can watch all of the action on Sky Sports.