F1 unapologetic on Las Vegas practice chaos: ‘It happens’

LAS VEGAS — In an attempt to explain the events of the chaotic opening night of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Formula 1 issued an unapologetic statement to fans and offered those with day tickets a $200 voucher to spend on racing products.

A water valve cover came loose on the Strip eight minutes into the opening practice session on Thursday evening, causing serious damage to Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari and significant delays to the race schedule. the night.

Work on the circuit to avoid a repeat of the incident extended late into the night, to the point where fans were asked to leave because the security teams had a break before the restart. action on the track at 2:30 a.m.

The detailed statement, released jointly by F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and Las Vegas Grand Prix CEO Renee Wilm on Friday, explains how the events unfolded but does not offer a direct apology to ticket holders, some of whom spent up to $50,000 in three-day passes.

He then brushed off the disastrous opening day by comparing it to other failed sporting and entertainment events, saying “it happens.”

The disastrous opening day, which ultimately featured a prolonged 90-minute track session until 4 a.m. in front of empty grandstands, followed months of hype from Formula 1, including claims that it had the potential to be “the greatest show on earth”.

In a further statement released on Friday evening, which also did not include an apology, F1 confirmed that anyone with a one-day ticket for Friday would receive a voucher for racing merchandise.

No refunds or discounts have been announced for anyone who purchased a three-day ticket.

Unlike other events on the calendar managed by third parties, the Las Vegas Grand Prix is ​​promoted by Formula 1 itself, which has spent more than $500 million in preparation, including the purchase of a $240 million near the famous Strip on which he is building the pit and pen complex.

The statement, in full, reads: “Our top priority in Formula 1 is the safety and security of our drivers, employees and fans. The responsibility for monitoring a Formula 1 event rests with Formula 1 as the commercial rights holder of the sport., the FIA ​​as the regulator and the local promoter, in this case the Las Vegas Grand Prix. It is important for those new to motor racing to understand this.

“Last night, approximately nine minutes into the first free practice session, a water valve cover broke on the straight of Las Vegas Boulevard. At that time, the FIA, responsible for running smoothly at the track, stopped the session so we could examine the broken water tap cover and inspect the track. This has happened on occasion at other tracks in other races worldwide.

“The precautionary step of removing all water valve covers across the entire track and filling them with sand and asphalt has been undertaken. The entire process, from problem determination to resolution, took about five hours. The decision to remediate in this manner was made out of an abundance of caution and because the safety of drivers, track marshals, officials and our fans is always our highest priority. We thank the contractors who worked diligently to resolve the situation so quickly.

“As a result, the first free practice ended early. We moved forward with the second free practice session around 2:30 a.m. Pacific Time for 90 minutes.

“The decision to hold the second free practice session at 2:30 a.m. PT was supported by all parties to ensure the sporting integrity of the remainder of the event.

“We would like to thank the drivers, mechanics and all the teams for their patience and commitment last night to ensure we could successfully complete the session.

“Now, let’s move on to the fan experience.

“The delay in the start of the second free practice session from midnight to 2:30 a.m. PST created risks for our employees and fans.

“We have made the decision to close fan areas that fall under the jurisdiction of the LVGP at 1:30 a.m. PST and send fans home.

“Let’s explain why.

“First, we were concerned about our long-serving public safety officers who were being asked to work the next three nights. We thank the Clark County Metropolitan Police Department, Department of Works public and other public services and security officials for their incredible support during the event and also during the reopening of the track early this morning.

“Second, we were concerned about our transportation employees who are responsible for driving our fans back to hotels. Under federal law, they were up against the length of time they could legally and safely operate buses.

“Finally, our hospitality staff needed to be able to clean and restock our guest areas to ensure the fan experience was optimal for everyone over the coming days.

“We know this was disappointing. We hope our fans understand, based on this explanation, that we had to balance many interests, including the safety and security of all participants and the fan experience during all race weekend.

“We have all attended events, like concerts, matches and even other Formula 1 races, that have been canceled due to factors such as weather or technical problems. It happens and we hope people will understand.”

“So how are we going to solve this problem tonight?”

“We have worked overnight to adjust our security, transportation and hospitality staffing plans to ensure we can operate and serve fans with the best possible experience during an extended racing schedule.

“We are excited about today’s race and thank our entire team and fans for their support. We know this is going to be a great event. With that, let’s get back to racing.”