Las Vegas Grand Prix first practice CANCELED after just eight minutes due to loose drain cover during nightmarish start to F1 weekend
- Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari stopped after appearing to go over the drain
- Alpine’s Esteban Ocon also hit a loose manhole cover, causing damage
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Formula 1’s adventure to America started as it often has: with a huge blow, caused by the virtual cancellation of the first practice session due to drain covers that caused major damage.
It is not certain that there will be any more action tonight.
The long-awaited start to the Grand Prix weekend in Las Vegas, the most hyped event the sport has ever staged, ended with just eight minutes of running. Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari retired after apparently hitting a drain.
Sainz suffered a jolt before coming to a stop. His delay caused a red flag to be raised, which was never withdrawn.
The first practice of the Vegas Grand Prix was canceled within eight minutes due to a loose drain cover
The issue was far from an ideal start to a highly anticipated weekend in Vegas
Track marshals and officials visit the part of the track where the first training ended early
Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari is taken off the track by a crane after going over the cover
Up to 100,000 fans would be at the new track on the Strip, although there were some empty seats as F1 attempted to make a deeper push into the US market.
An FIA spokesman said: ‘After inspection it was the concrete frame around a manhole cover that failed.
‘We now have to check all the other manhole covers and that will take some time. We will discuss with the local technical team how long it will take to resolve the issue and update any changes to the schedule.”
The second training will start at midnight local time, but there are no guarantees about that.
Some fans have paid $185,000 for the privilege of being here – and this setback leaves the faces of F1 bosses bright red.