Formula 1 hit a new low in Las Vegas as FP1 was canceled due to Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz running over a drain cover. The track’s safety was put into question and workers were put into action to remedy the situation. Eventually, all of the drain covers were addressed and Formula 1 started FP2 at 5:30 AM EST, which was two and a half hours late.
However, the damage had already been done for Sainz. In fact, Mercedes team principal [autotag]Toto Wolff[/autotag] was asked if the track’s issues in Las Vegas were a black eye for Formula 1. Wolff pushed back against that idea and dismissed the possible narrative.
“This is not a black eye (for Formula 1),” Wolff said. “This is nothing. It is Thursday night. We have one practice session that we are not doing. They are going to seal the drain covers and nobody will talk about that tomorrow.”
The moment Carlos Sainz hit a drain cover on the Las Vegas strip, causing FP1 to be cancelled đź‘€ pic.twitter.com/KIMbuZoteY
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) November 17, 2023
“How can you even dare to talk badly about an event that sets the new standard? You’re speaking about a [expletive] drain cover that’s been undone, and that has happened in F1 before. It is first practice. Give credit to the people that have set up this Grand Prix, and that have made the sport much bigger than it ever was. We need to analyze how we can make sure that this doesn’t happen again. But sitting here talking about a black eye for the sport on a Thursday evening…nobody watches that in European time anyway.”
Formula 1 will hit the track again on Friday night as third practice and qualifying is up next. The sport will hope for a better night so the questions of Las Vegas being a “black eye” don’t happen again. Wolff and everyone involved would love for this event to run smoothly moving forward.
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