2023-11-17 08:59:18
The Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix had an embarrassing start on Thursday with the cancellation in less than 10 minutes of the first free practice session, due to a problem with a track sewer.
Spanish driver Carlos Sainz Jr. had to stop his practice after suffering a severe blow to his Ferrari car, which caused damage to the front of the vehicle and the appearance of an early red flag.
The organizers later announced that, for security reasons, the first of the night’s two sessions would not resume, causing great disappointment among fans of the new urban circuit installed on the famous casino avenue.
The inspection determined that “it was the concrete frame around a manhole cover that failed,” the International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement.
“Now we have to check all the other manhole covers, which will take some time,” the agency said.
“We will speak to the local circuit engineering team about the time it will take to resolve and update with any resulting changes to the program,” the text added.
Against the clock, the organizers were trying to carry out the necessary checks and repairs in time for the second free practice session, originally scheduled for midnight in Las Vegas (0800 GMT on Friday).
Until the interruption of training, Charles Leclerc, Sainz Jr.’s Ferrari teammate, had set the fastest lap with a time of 1:40.909.
The Italian team said that they were checking the damage caused to Sainz’s car and estimated that “it seems quite extensive.”
Frenchman Esteban Ocon’s Alpine car also suffered damage and the team was forced to start changing the vehicle’s chassis.
In 2019, a similar incident occurred at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where Briton George Russell, then a member of Williams, saw his car hit by a loose manhole cover and the first practice session was cancelled.
— First free practice session:
Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) 1:40.909 (4 laps)
Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Haas-Ferrari) 1:43.446 (4)
Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari) 1:44.261 (4)
Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull) 1:44.397 (4)
Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine-Renault) 1:45.365 (5)
George Russell (GBR/Mercedes) 1:45.497 (4)
Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Ferrari) 1:45.824 (4)
Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/AlphaTauri-Red Bull) 1:45.908 (5)
Sergio Pérez (MEX/Red Bull) 1:46.793 (4)
Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Alfa Romeo-Ferrari) 1:47.147 (5)
Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine-Renault) 1:48.253 (5)
Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:48.513 (4)
Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/AlphaTauri-Red Bull) 1:48.650 (4)
Zhou Guanyu (CHN/Alfa Romeo-Ferrari) 1:48.822 (5)
Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes) 1:48.947 (3)
Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 0.000 (2)
Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren-Mercedes) 0.000 (2)
Alexander Albon (THA/Williams-Mercedes) 0.000 (2)
Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 0.000 (2)
Logan Sargeant (USA/Williams-Mercedes) 0.000 (0)
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