Las Vegas Grand Prix Experiences Ridiculous Incident as Cars Prove Too Fast for the Strip
The upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix race has been plagued with issues, and the latest incident may be the most absurd one yet. It turns out that the cars in Formula One (F1) are simply too fast for the famous Vegas Strip.
Unlike the F1 venues in Austin, Texas, and Miami, Florida, which were purpose-built for high-speed races, the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit is located within the city itself. This poses a unique challenge as F1 racers require specialized, carefully laid pavement, not just any standard roadway. To prepare for the event, workers had to remove the top layer of asphalt along the route before replacing it with a substantial amount of new pavement layers.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO, Steve Hill, estimated that this new circuit pavement would last 6-10 years without extensive road closures, only requiring piecemeal maintenance. However, on November 16, during the F1 drivers’ first late evening practice run, disaster struck. Racer Carlos Sainz abruptly stopped near the track’s final corner, reporting damage to his Ferrari’s flooring. A quick investigation revealed that the excessive speed and force of the race car had caused a drain cover’s concrete framing to protrude, leading to significant damage to the Ferrari’s chassis. To make matters worse, racer Esteban Ocon’s car also suffered similar damage from the resulting debris.
The issue of drain covers causing trouble for F1 cars is not new, as a similar incident occurred during the 2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. However, in that case, organizers were able to weld shut the track’s coverings. Unfortunately, this was not an option for the Las Vegas race crew due to Nevada law. Instead, repairers had to race against the clock, applying quick-setting concrete to the remaining drain covers.
As a result of the repairs, the racers could only return to the track for a second practice run at 2:30 am local time, with no fans in the stands due to labor laws prohibiting security workers from continuing their shift. Many disappointed fans were forced to leave around 1:30 am. Fortunately, the trial runs were completed without any further incidents.
Both drivers and their teams have expressed their dissatisfaction with the evening’s events. Racer Max Verstappen described the Vegas Grand Prix as 99 percent show and 1 percent sport, while Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur deemed the incident unacceptable. Vasseur expressed the significant financial loss and frustration caused by the damaged cars.
Mercedes chief Toto Wolff, on the other hand, defended the race and downplayed the incident as a black eye. He believed that sealing the drain covers would resolve the issue, and it would quickly be forgotten as a topic of discussion.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix organizers will need to address this ongoing problem to prevent further damage and disruptions during future races. The pressure is on to find a solution that allows F1 cars to race safely and at top speeds without causing harm to the circuit and the participating teams.
