IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
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It’s Friday before the Vegas Grand Prix, but unlike most grand prix weekends, I am not trackside chasing a story.
I am in my hotel room at the Fontainebleau at 2 p.m., squeezing myself into a dress that will later land me on The Daily Mail’s best dressed list — because apparently those still exist.
A Charlotte Tilbury makeup artist is putting the finishing touches to my face, and I am mentally preparing for a very different kind of race: the mad dash across the Strip — before all the roads are shut down promptly at 3 p.m. — through the endless corridors of the Wynn, and out into the gardens where the highly anticipated amfAR Gala is about to unfold.
Last year marked amfAR’s inaugural Las Vegas gala, a bold experiment that brought together the high-octane world of Formula 1 with the critical mission of HIVrelated treatment and biomedical research. The result? Over $3 million raised and a clear message that this city, during its biggest motorsport weekend, could be about more than speed and spectacle. This year, with amfAR officially partnering with Formula 1, expectations are bigger and bolder, with a guest list that reads like a who’s who of both Hollywood and the racing world. And the Esses team was on-site to cover it all.
But first, a primer for those more familiar with DRS zones than charity galas: What exactly is amfAR, and why Vegas?
Since 1985, the Foundation for AIDS Research — otherwise known as amfAR — has been at the forefront of the fight against HIV/ AIDS, funding cutting-edge research and supporting scientists working toward a cure. They have raised nearly $950 million and awarded grants to over 3,800 research teams worldwide. Their work has fundamentally changed what an HIV diagnosis means.
What was once a death sentence is now a manageable condition for those with access to treatment. But access remains the operative word — millions globally still lack the care and breakthroughs they desperately need.
The Wynn is predictably stunning as I arrive. Crystal chandeliers, vintage cars peppered across the lawn, a buzzing step-andrepeat moment, impeccably dressed waitstaff, and an energy that somehow manages to feel both relaxed and electric. The star-studded speakers, performers, and attendees include Marisa Tomei, Victoria Justice, Ava Max, Ciara, Paulina Chávez, and Ali Larter. Jeremy Renner, this year’s Philanthropic Leadership Award honoree, walks in right on cue.
I spot someone in the crowd that makes me do a double-take: Adam Norris, Lando’s father, sporting a bright-yellow Lando t-shirt that only a parent can pull off at a black-tie event. Two beautifully dressed women approach him, clearly impressed by his fandom. “Are you a big Lando fan?” one asks, genuinely curious. He grins, playing it cool for a moment before confirming that, “Yes, you could say I’m a big supporter.” The interaction strikes me as the perfect encapsulation of the evening: two worlds colliding, all for a cause that transcends both.
And then there is the Gordon Murray auction, perhaps the evening’s most unique contribution. On offer was a Gordon Murray Special Vehicles S1 LM. Murray is a South African-born engineer and designer whose work on the Brabham BT46B “fan car” and the championship-winning McLaren MP4/4 are the stuff of racing legend. But Murray’s genius extends beyond the track. His automotive design company creates some of the world’s most exclusive, meticulously engineered supercars. Tonight, a piece of that legacy is up for grabs. All of a sudden, his car — one of only f ive that will be designed — is helicoptered (is that even a verb?) into the auction venue, descending over the Las Vegas skyline to the Wynn resort in a spectacle. It is like nothing I have seen before. The auction of the S1 LM made automotive history, selling for $20.63 million, before the dinner even began.
This isn’t just racing and Hollywood elite writing checks (though they are certainly doing that). It is a genuine intersection of communities. F1 brings global reach, cultural cachet, and an audience that skews younger and more diverse than traditional philanthropy circles. And amfAR, with its decades of credibility and scientific rigor, brings a rolodex bursting with Hollywood glamor. Together they are creating something rare: a philanthropic gala that feels perfectly at home at a grand prix.
But, of course, unlike the other parties, the glitz and glamor is in service of a pressing cause. Speaking later in the night, Kyle Clifford, amfAR’s incoming CEO, brings the power of that cause back to the forefront. “As a person living with HIV, I feel a profound responsibility to speak openly about my experience and the urgent work still ahead,” Clifford shares. “HIV research saved my life. It has given me the chance to stand here today, healthy and hopeful. And yet, far too many people around the world still do not have access to the care, treatment, and breakthroughs they deserve.”
The seated dinner is elegant without being stuffy. The live auction moves quickly, paddles flying up for exclusive F1 Paddock Club access, bespoke artwork, and once-in-alifetime experiences. The energy in the room is infectious. By the end of the evening, the real impact becomes clear: millions raised, again. For research that could put an end to AIDS. For treatment access in communities that need it most. For a future where Clifford’s story of survival becomes the rule, not the exception.
As I finally kick off my heels around midnight (The Daily Mail can have the dress photos; they are not getting the aftermath), I am struck by something. Formula 1 has always been about pushing limits, about engineering solutions to seemingly impossible problems, about refusing to accept that “this is as good as it gets.”
In that sense, amfAR’s presence at Vegas is not strange at all. It is perfectly aligned.
