The F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix moves ahead after an opening-night debacle
The consequences of Sainz’s suspension suspension in the production of an F1-themed event in Las Vegas, the U.S.
But in a move that’s angering fans, Sainz was penalized for switching to the new car, with the sport’s governing body saying they had no way to make a provision to the rulebook even though his original car was damaged by the approved course.
The U.S. has hosted more F1 events this year than any other country. The release of the drive to survive documentary series coincides with the new popularity of sports.
The organizers of one of the most important F1 events of the year were not the only people to be upset by it. Fans were tearing down screens that blocked the view of the race from the walk ways, and residents and business owners complained of traffic congestion and other annoyances due to race-related construction.
Liberty Media, the owner of F1, bet big on a $500 million contract to bring the global automotive series to Sin City for an annual event over the next 10 years and the spectacle reads like more than a stroke of bad luck.
The Las Vegas Strip is part of the racing course and required 80 million in roadwork, which is less than the request from Clark County.
“We have been to numerous events, like concerts, games and even other Formula 1 races, that have been canceled because of factors like weather or technical issues,” the F1 Chief Executive Officer and Las Vegas Grand Prix CEO said in a statement.
Workers rushed to remove drain cap and fill them with sand and asphalt. By the time the next practice started, 2 1/2 hours late, attendees had been ordered to leave the fan viewing areas. The streets had to be reopened by 4 a.m. because the course had to be closed a few hours later.
A class-action lawsuit against the Las Vegas Grand Prix organizers following the accident of Sainz Jr. in an open-car racetrack
The car of Carlos Sainz Jr. was badly damaged after a manhole cover fell on the temporary street course.
Formula One is trying to recover in time for its Las Vegas Grand Prix race after an embarrassing opening-night debacle stopped the racers’ first practice after just nine minutes.
For many Formula 1 fans, the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend delivered an exciting crescendo Saturday night after the high-speed race through city streets concluded with a dramatic finish.
Max Verstappen of Red Bull won the contest, while Charles Leclerc of Ferrari overtook his teammate on the last lap to take second place.
But other fans left the much-heralded weekend events as parties to a class-action lawsuit against the racing organization, after attendees were booted from viewing areas on Thursday during an hours-long delay caused by technical issues with the course.
Formula 1’s return to Las Vegas has been met with mixed reaction, with some fans applauding the sport growing popularity in the U.S. and others jeering the disruptions to city life.
Workers had to repair the track by removing the water valve covers and filling in the holes with sand and asphalt because the practice session was red flagged.
Fans waiting around in the stands were told to leave the viewing areas by the time the second practice run kicked off 2 hours behind schedule.
Not everyone of them did. A group of fans is now suing the Las Vegas Grand Prix and owner Liberty Media in a lawsuit seeking at least $30,000 in damages, The Associated Press reported.
Formula 1 gave attendees who held single-day tickets to Thursday’s events a $200 voucher to the Las Vegas Grand Prix gift shop, journalist Chris Medland reported, while those who held three-day passes received nothing.
Some F1 drivers have been critical of grand prix organizers. Ahead of the Las Vegas event, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton said F1 shouldn’t be “acircus that shows up that’s all glamour and glitter and people are affected negatively by it” while reigning champion Verstappen said the event placed too much.
