2023-11-17 14:09:21
The saying goes that “what happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas.” But what has happened in the first day of free practice of its Grand Prix has gone around the world. And despite all the efforts of the organization and the million-dollar investment deployed by the ‘city of casinos’ to regain its place on the calendar of Formula 1four decades after the failed Caesar’s Palace project (1981 and 82), the premiere has been a fiasco of epic proportions.
The first free sessions barely lasted ten minutes because of a poorly sealed sewer and the seconds have started more than two hours late, without an audience in the stands and with 90 minutes left to compensate. Charles Leclerc He finished at the top of the classification at four in the morning.
Sainz takes the worst part
The image of a Caterpillar excavator speeding down the finish line is a true reflection of the chaos that occurred tonight in Las Vegas. Barely ten minutes into the first training session, Esteban Ocon ran over a loose sewer, lifting the cover and damaging the Alpine’s chassis. Fernando Alonso, who was riding right behind the Frenchman, showed off some fantastic reflexes and managed to avoid it by swerving.
“When we started to dismantle the car, we thought… what luck!” ????@marc_gene realize that @Carlossainz55 It has suffered a very strong blow and even the seat has broken #LasVegasDAZNF1 ???????? pic.twitter.com/ov8bmgy7g8
— DAZN Spain (@DAZN_ES) November 17, 2023
The worst part went to Carlos Sainz, who hit the obstacle fully at 318 km/h, destroying his car. Ferrari has confirmed that the car’s chassis, engine, gearbox and battery were affected. He has broken down to the seat, although fortunately the pilot has emerged unharmed from an incident that has called into question the safety of the Las Vegas street circuit, which runs along the famous ‘Strip’ boulevard. “The show is the show and it’s fine, but I think that today this situation is unacceptable for F1 and it is going to cost us a fortune,” lamented the head of the Scuderia, Fred Vasseur.
a blow
Ferrari has tried to prevent the FIA from penalizing Sainz for using the third battery, considering that the damage to the car was due to external causes, but the stewards have not listened to their allegations and have imposed the regulatory sanction on Carlos: ten positions in the starting grid. A real ‘blow’ that hurts even more seeing that the second free session has shown what those from Maranello already sensed: the SF-23 has ‘flew’ on the track, with Leclerc and Sainz taking over the first two positions in FP2 for many minutes and the Monegasque closing the day as the fastest (1.35.265), ahead of the Madrid native and Fernando Alonso, third at half a second with the Aston Martin. Verstappen, with graining problems like the Mercedes, has placed sixth to start.
Jumping across the pianos ???? Correcting so as not to end up on the wall ✨
Fernando ‘The Freestyler’ Alonso ????????????#LasVegasDAZNF1 ???????? pic.twitter.com/d5UIzpZy0H
— DAZN Spain (@DAZN_ES) November 17, 2023
Despite the last minute discounts, the cheapest ticket for this grand prize does not go below 600 euros and the stands are around 2000 euros. That’s not counting the dizzying figures paid by the VIPS located in the paddock club. Well, all the spectators have been evacuated for safety reasons while the workers checked the 50 sewers located along the more than six kilometers of the circuit and they have not been able to watch the second session. An absolute disaster that will surely force the promoters of the grand prize to pay millionaire compensations.
Las Vegas GP. Free 2:
1. Charles Leclerc Ferrari) 1’35″265
2. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) at 0″517
3. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) a 0″526
4. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) at 0 “820
5. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) a 0″864
6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) a 0″918
7. Nico Hülkenberg (Haas) to 1″224
8. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) a 1″231
9. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) a 1″398
10. Alexander Albon (Williams) a 1″423
11. Lando Norris (McLaren) a 1″599
12. George Russell (Mercedes) a 1″625
13. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) a 1″652
14. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) a 1″722
15. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) a 1″869
16. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) a 1″976
17. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) a 2″147
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18. Gyanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo) a 2″391
19. Daniel Ricciardo (AlphaTauri) at 2″415
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