By Jack Bezants For Dailymail.Com
Published: | Updated:
The first practice of the Las Vegas Grand Prix has been canceled because of a loose drain cover in a nightmare start to the Formula One weekend.
Carlos Sainz‘s Ferrari appeared to come to a stop after going over the cover. Esteban Ocon‘s Alpine chassis also needed to be changed due to damage from the cover on the track, the team said on X. Ocon said as he passed Sainz on the track, he believed he hit the dislodged cover.
Fans in Vegas booed as the announcement came over the PA that the session was being ended after just eight minutes of action. American Logan Sargeant, the home favorite, was the only driver who did not make it out on the track before the session was curtailed.
FIA said in a statement: ‘Following inspection, it was the concrete frame around a manhole cover that has failed. We now need to check all of the other manhole covers which will take some time.
‘We will be discussing with the local circuit engineering team about the length of time it will take to resolve and will update with any resultant changes to the schedule.’
A loose drain cover saw the first practice of the Vegas Grand Prix called off in eight minutes
The issue was far from an ideal start to a hugely anticipated weekend in Vegas
Track marshals and officials tend to the area of the track that saw first practice ended early
Sainz appeared to run over the manhole cover just minutes into the practice on the street course that stretches down the famed Strip.Â
It caused the Ferrari to bottom out and potentially destroyed his engine. Sainz had climbed from his car and was already walking back toward the garage when the FIA went out onto the track to start an inspection.
The 3.85-mile (6.2 kilometer) street circuit utilizes a large portion of the Strip and passes several Las Vegas landmarks on the 17-turn layout.Â
Because much of the course is open to traffic during the day, the FIA was not able to inspect the track and approve it for racing until early Thursday morning after the course had been closed overnight.
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Las Vegas Grand Prix first practice CANCELED after just eight minutes due to a loose drain cover in a nightmare start to the F1 weekend








