F1’s highly anticipated Las Vegas Grand Prix on the world-famous strip began in disastrous fashion as the first practice session had to be abandoned to fix a loose manhole cover.
F1 is returning to Vegas for the first time in 41 years for a 50-lap race around the picturesque 3.8-mile, 17-turn circuit. The race has a 10-year contract and will take place under the lights on Saturday night in Sin City.
But the first session of F1’s newest event had only been going for eight minutes before Carlos Sainz’s car stopped on the lengthy Vegas strip. Replays show his Ferrari car, at speeds of over 200mph, went over a loose drain cover before the Spaniard veered to the side and stopped the car due to substantial floor damage, and Ferrari were furious.
A red flag was thrown and, shortly afterwards, the stewards announced the session would not resume. FP2 was delayed for more than two hours while the circuit was made safe, before the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Sainz topped the timings, with Max Verstappen only sixth.
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