Formula 1 officials found themselves grappling with one of the most embarrassing episodes in recent sporting history after the completion of practice for the Las Vegas Grand Prix unfolded at 4:00 am in a deserted arena.
The initial session was abruptly abandoned with just eight minutes on the clock even with months of anticipation leading up to the £500 million race,
Subsequently, the second practice faced a delay of two and a half hours, unfolding in front of empty grandstands as irate fans were ejected to comply with local regulations. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari claimed the top spot, while Max Verstappen secured sixth place and Lewis Hamilton landed in ninth.
However, the event, touted by F1 authorities as the “greatest show on earth,” took a dramatic turn more than seven hours earlier. A water valve cover dislodged from the newly laid tarmac, striking Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari at a staggering 210 mph on Las Vegas Boulevard.
The impact visibly jolted Sainz in the cockpit, emitting white smoke and orange sparks, ultimately disabling his machine. Race director Niels Wittich promptly red-flagged the session, but not before Esteban Ocon also encountered the debris. On-board footage from Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin captured the 42-year-old skillfully avoiding the loose drain cover.
Eleven minutes later, at 8:49 pm, it was announced that practice would not resume. Both Sainz and Ocon emerged unscathed, though their cars suffered severe damage. Sainz’s Ferrari bore a giant hole, necessitating extensive repairs.
Team principal Frederic Vasseur, expressing his frustration in a pre-arranged press conference, deemed the situation “unacceptable.” Originally scheduled to begin at midnight, the second practice was postponed as all 30 drain covers along the 1.2-mile Las Vegas Boulevard were inspected.
The covers were removed and hastily repaired, with the track finally deemed fit at 2:30 am local time. However, when the session resumed, the stands were empty due to strict labour laws, posing a security risk.
Disgruntled fans who refused to leave were forcibly removed by the police. General admission tickets for the three-day event cost $500 (£400), while a hospitality suite was sold for a staggering $150,000 (£120,000) for the duration.
This unfortunate incident follows a Superbowl-like opening ceremony 48 hours earlier and comes on the heels of triple world champion Verstappen’s scathing criticism of the Grand Prix staging as “99 per cent show, and one per cent sport.”
Formula 1 executives, eager to capitalize on the sport’s growing popularity in the United States, had added the Nevada race to the calendar alongside Austin and Miami. The chaotic turn of events in Las Vegas draws parallels with the 2005 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis, where only six drivers participated amid tire safety concerns.
As for the FP2 classification for the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix:
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 1:35.265
Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) +0.517
Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +0.528
Sergio Perez (Red Bull) +0.820
Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) +0.864
Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.918
Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) +1.224
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +1.231
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +1.398
Alexander Albon (Williams) +1.423
Lando Norris (McLaren) +1.599
George Russell (Mercedes) +1.625
Kevin Magnussen (Haas) +1.652
Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +1.722
Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +1.869
Esteban Ocon (Alpine) +1.976
Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) +2.147
Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo) +2.391
Daniel Ricciardo (AlphaTauri) +2.415
Logan Sargeant (Williams) +2.875.
The third practice is scheduled to begin at 8:30 pm on Friday (4:30 am GMT on Saturday), with qualifying for Saturday’s 50-lap race taking place at midnight (8:00 am GMT on Sunday).
Source: AFP
