Formula 1's very own Super Bowl in Vegas, which came with all the pomp befitting of the gambling and entertainment paradise, vindicated its lack of humility with an action-packed grand prix.
The 50-lap blast around the Strip's casinos was a spellbinding thrill, dispelling concerns over whether or not the series had forgotten about the sporting aspect of its grand spectacle.
F1's bigwigs surely breathed a huge sigh of relief after track issues on Thursday and criticism from locals had threatened to take the shine off its new crown jewel, a Monaco Grand Prix for the Netflix generation.
On the eve of the race, world champion Verstappen became a sounding board for traditional fans who felt alienated by an event that took F1 further out of its European comfort zone and into the limelight as a global entertainment enterprise.
"A show element is important but I like emotion. When you go to Spa, Monza, they have a lot of emotion and passion," he said.
"I understand that fans need something to do as well around the track. But I think it's more important that you actually make them understand what we do as a sport because most of them just come to have a party.
"They become fan of what? They want to see maybe their favourite artists and have a few drinks with their mates and then go out and have a crazy night out. But they don't actually understand what we're doing or what we're putting on the line to perform."
Source: Autosport