

# Las Vegas Grand Prix Practice Session Halted Due to Loose Drain Cover Incident

The inaugural **Las Vegas Grand Prix** practice session was abruptly halted when a loose drain cover damaged the car of **Ferrari's Carlos Sainz**. The incident led to a grid penalty for Sainz and sparked controversy among team officials (1,2,3,4).

> "We (messed) up the session for Carlos... we have to change the chassis for the car. It is unacceptable for F1. You would be upset in this situation," said Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur (5).

Vasseur's frustration was evident as he called the incident "unacceptable" for Formula 1. His sentiments were echoed by McLaren boss Zak Brown, who expressed sympathy for Ferrari and stated he would have supported a waiver for the penalty, considering the incident as force majeure and not the team's fault (2).

In contrast, Mercedes principal **Toto Wolff** downplayed the incident, dismissing it as a minor issue and defending the event (3,5).

> "You're speaking about a (expletive) drain cover that's been undone. That has happened before. That's nothing. It's FP1," Wolff said (5).

The incident resulted in a delay in the second practice and led to the inspection of the entire circuit. The **FIA**, the governing body of motorsport, stated that a manhole cover failure caused the stoppage and they were inspecting all other covers (4).

This is not the first time such an incident has occurred. Similar incidents involving manhole covers have been reported in the past, such as in Baku in 2019 and Monaco in 2016 (6).

The event, the first time Las Vegas has hosted an F1 race since 1982, has faced criticism from world champion Max Verstappen, who called it "99% show, 1% sport," and residents who complained about high prices, traffic gridlock, and barriers blocking views. Despite these criticisms, the CEO of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Renee Wilm, believes the event will bring economic benefits to Southern Nevada (4).

Despite the incident and the resulting controversies, both Vasseur and Wolff acknowledged the significance of the event and believed the show must go on (5).

> "It's like Fred said, this is a mega spectacle. It's going to set a new standard for the sport and that's important," Wolff said (6).

The incident has brought to light the potential hazards on the track and the need for stringent safety measures. The differing reactions from team officials highlight the varying perspectives on the incident and its impact on the event. As the Las Vegas Grand Prix continues, it remains to be seen how this incident will influence future races and the measures taken to prevent similar occurrences.

<h1>Las Vegas Grand Prix Practice Session Halted Due to Loose Drain Cover Incident</h1>
The inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix practice session was abruptly halted when a loose drain cover damaged the car of Ferrari's Carlos Sainz. The incident led to a grid penalty for Sainz and sparked controversy among team officials (1,2,3,4).
<blockquote>
"We (messed) up the session for Carlos... we have to change the chassis for the car. It is unacceptable for F1. You would be upset in this situation," said Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur (5).
</blockquote>
Vasseur's frustration was evident as he called the incident "unacceptable" for Formula 1. His sentiments were echoed by McLaren boss Zak Brown, who expressed sympathy for Ferrari and stated he would have supported a waiver for the penalty, considering the incident as force majeure and not the team's fault (2).
In contrast, Mercedes principal Toto Wolff downplayed the incident, dismissing it as a minor issue and defending the event (3,5).
<blockquote>
"You're speaking about a (expletive) drain cover that's been undone. That has happened before. That's nothing. It's FP1," Wolff said (5).
</blockquote>
The incident resulted in a delay in the second practice and led to the inspection of the entire circuit. The FIA, the governing body of motorsport, stated that a manhole cover failure caused the stoppage and they were inspecting all other covers (4).
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred. Similar incidents involving manhole covers have been reported in the past, such as in Baku in 2019 and Monaco in 2016 (6).
The event, the first time Las Vegas has hosted an F1 race since 1982, has faced criticism from world champion Max Verstappen, who called it "99% show, 1% sport," and residents who complained about high prices, traffic gridlock, and barriers blocking views. Despite these criticisms, the CEO of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Renee Wilm, believes the event will bring economic benefits to Southern Nevada (4).
Despite the incident and the resulting controversies, both Vasseur and Wolff acknowledged the significance of the event and believed the show must go on (5).
<blockquote>
"It's like Fred said, this is a mega spectacle. It's going to set a new standard for the sport and that's important," Wolff said (6).
</blockquote>
The incident has brought to light the potential hazards on the track and the need for stringent safety measures. The differing reactions from team officials highlight the varying perspectives on the incident and its impact on the event. As the Las Vegas Grand Prix continues, it remains to be seen how this incident will influence future races and the measures taken to prevent similar occurrences.

Las Vegas Grand Prix practice session canceled due to a manhole cover failure

CBS News

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News Nation

F1 driver crashes into drain cover delaying Formula 1 Las Vegas race

Reuters

Sainz hit with Las Vegas grid drop after drain damage

New York Post

It took 9 minutes for $500 million Las Vegas Grand Prix to have its first catastrophe — and everyone is angry

Fox News

Las Vegas Grand Prix practice session goes awry after bizarre incident

Las Vegas Grand Prix

Formula 1

Carlos Sainz

Ferrari

Drain Cover Incident

The first practice session of the Las Vegas Grand Prix was halted after a loose drain cover damaged Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz's car, leading to a grid penalty and sparking controversy among team officials.

Las Vegas Grand Prix Practice Session Halted Due to Loose Drain Cover Incident

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