Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix faces a class action lawsuit on behalf of 35,000 fans for kicking spectators out of a paid practice session on Thursday night amid technical difficulties.
The session was paused for many hours after Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz’s car took extreme damage from below by a drain cover. It didn’t resume until 1:30 a.m. the next morning in front of empty stands, as Formula 1 could not staff venue security overnight.
Dimopoulos Law Firm and co-counsel JK Legal & Consulting filed the suit Friday in Nevada court, according to the Las Vegas Journal. “We will vindicate the rights of the fans that traveled great distances and paid small fortunes to attend, but were deprived of the experience,” said attorney Steve Dimopoulos in a statement.
The much-hyped Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend has not gone to plan so far, with drivers complaining about the atmosphere and logistical issues. A spokesperson for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, meanwhile, told Express Sport: “We cannot comment on the litigation. Our focus is on ensuring that our fans have an entertaining experience in a safe and secure environment which is always our top priority.”
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F1’s initial response to Thursday night’s debacle drew widespread scorn, as the organization did not provide a clear apology. “We have all been to events, like concerts, games and even other Formula 1 races, that have been cancelled because of factors like weather or technical issues,” a statement said. “It happens, and we hope people will understand.”
Fans who bought single-day passes have been offered $200 vouchers to spend on race merchandise, according to ESPN.
“Our top priority at Formula 1 is the safety and security of our drivers, employees, and fans,” wrote F1. “Responsibility for the oversight of a Formula 1 event falls with Formula 1 as the commercial rights holder of the sport, the FIA as the regulatory body, and the local promoter, in this case the Las Vegas Grand Prix. This is important for those who are new to racing to understand.
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“Last night, approximately nine minutes into the first Free Practice session, a water valve cover broke on the straight on Las Vegas Boulevard. At that time the FIA, which is responsible for the safe running of the activities on the circuit, stopped the session so that we could look at the broken water valve cover and inspect the track. This has happened on occasion at other tracks at other races around the world.
“The precautionary step of removing all of the water valve covers on the entire track and filling them with sand and asphalt was undertaken. The entire process, from determination of the issue to remediation, took approximately five hours. The decision to remediate in this way was taken out of an abundance of caution and because the safety of drivers, trackside marshals and officials and our fans is always our highest priority. We thank the contractors who worked expeditiously to resolve the situation so quickly.
“As a result, the first Free Practice ended early. We moved ahead with the second Free Practice session at approximately 2:30 AM PT for 90 minutes.”
From the start of the Las Vegas event, Max Verstappen has decried a lack of substance to the Grand Prix, claiming organizers focused too much on superficial elements rather than the racing itself.
“I’m not going to fake it,” he said. “I just always voiced my opinion in positive things and negative things. And that’s just how I am. And some people like a show a bit more. I don’t like it at all.
“I grew up just looking at the performance side of things, and that’s how I see it as well. So for me, I like to be in Vegas but not so much for racing.”
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