Ferrari Driver’s Lucky Escape as Car Destroyed by Manhole: Las Vegas Grand Prix Marred
The first practice session of the Las Vegas Grand Prix took a disturbing turn when Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz narrowly escaped a serious accident. His car was completely destroyed after running over a manhole cover, leaving the inaugural race weekend in chaos.
Just eight minutes into the session, Sainz was forced to bring his car to a halt, triggering a red flag and ultimately preventing the race from resuming. The incident led to a delay of over three hours for the second practice session while track officials conducted thorough checks across the tracks.
Yet another POV of the incident:pic.twitter.com/yiDcT8GTPg
— MultiViewer (@f1multiviewer) November 17, 2023
Newly obtained CCTV footage captures the moment Sainz’s car ran over the manhole cover, revealing the cause of the destruction. As the underside of his Ferrari made contact with the cover, it generated a series of sparks that lingered for several seconds. Miraculously, Sainz emerged from the incident unharmed, but extensive repairs were required to restore the car to a suitable condition.
Examining Sainz’s onboard camera footage gives further insight into the event. The 29-year-old was traveling at high speed on the long DRS straight before seemingly lifting his foot off the accelerator. Suddenly, the car jolted upright, and a message appeared on the dashboard instructing him to stop immediately.
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Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur expressed his frustration with the incident, stating, He said he hit something on the track, but he didn’t know exactly what it was. The situation is that we damaged completely the monocoque, the engine, the battery. I think it is just unacceptable. We had a very tough FP1. This will cost us a fortune [to fix]. We want to be part of FP2 for sure, but we have to change the chassis and the cell of the car. This is just unacceptable.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety standards at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. While accidents are an unfortunate reality in motorsport, the destruction of a car due to a manhole cover is a highly unusual occurrence. It highlights the importance of thorough track inspections and maintaining a safe environment for drivers and their teams.
As the incident unfolds, the organizers of the Las Vegas Grand Prix will undoubtedly face scrutiny and pressure to ensure that all necessary precautions are taken to prevent similar incidents in the future. Spectators and participants alike will anxiously await updates on the investigation into this alarming and costly mishap.
The unfortunate event has undoubtedly marred the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, casting a shadow over what was meant to be a thrilling and memorable race weekend. The eyes of the motorsport world are now focused on the actions and responses of the race organizers as they strive to rectify the situation and restore confidence in the safety of the track.
