Driving in the D.C. area can sometimes be a pain, but one new attraction is looking to put the joy back in your commute — but only if you have a need for speed.
In today’s episode of “Matt About Town,” WTOP’s Matt Kaufax went to the Union Market District in Northeast D.C. to visit the F1 Arcade!
Complete with 83 officially licensed racing simulators, the arcade celebrates the motor racing sport with the fastest growing fan base in the U.S.: Formula One.
Did you know only 1% of people actually get to experience an F1 race in person in their lifetime? That’s why the minds behind D.C.’s F1 Arcade say this experience is designed to make you feel almost exactly like drivers do behind the wheel.
You don’t have to have any special skills to have a blast either. The arcade lets you race on any difficulty, from AI-assisted rookie to expert level, where you are the one shifting gears manually, in complete control of the car — much like a Max Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton.
There’s plenty of activity for grandstand spectators too, as the food, drinks and other games at the arcade aim to capture the spectacle of the sport in a fashion that rivals the Paddock Club itself on race day.
Meticulous attention to detail caps off the experience, with chandeliers inside the venue modeled after famous international race circuits and neon lights on the wall designed to match the telemetry taken from real F1 drivers in the heat of battle.
Come along with Matt as he tried his best to keep up the best drivers in the world in the racing sim, and experienced an adrenaline rush like no other!
D.C.’s F1 Arcade has its grand opening Oct. 13 — but the venue is already taking reservations for racing bays. To book for yourself, you can visit their website.
Hear “Matt About Town” first every Tuesday and Thursday on 103.5 FM!
If you have a story idea you’d like Matt to cover, email him, or chat with him on Instagram and TikTok.
Check out all “Matt About Town” episodes here!
