Formula 1's half-a-billion dollar Las Vegas Grand Prix got off to the worst start possible, as a faulty $100 water valve cover broke a Ferrari and an Alpine forcing FP1 to be cut short with most drivers not even completing a lap.
This coming a day after one of the most spectacular opening ceremonies ever seen in sport, let alone Formula 1. But there's a big problem for the organisers when the stage to perform on is unsuited to play the game. Which was the case with this evening in Las Vegas.
How many of those water valve covers are there on the 6.2 km pop-up street track? FP2 will be delayed until the inspections are carried out.
They will all be checked before F1 cars are unleashed again. It could take time and this report will be updated accordingly. Please refresh this post, for the updated version.
The most anticipated Grand Prix in decades ticked all the boxes in the build-up to the event. But when race cars hit the tarmac, the faulty cover delivered the first low blow to Liberty Media's ambitious $500-million project.
But nine minutes into the FP1 session, Carlos Sainz parked his Ferrari with damage to his car after collecting the cover during his early laps. Esteban Ocon's Alpine was also damaged in a separate incident.
Hardly the kind of start anticipated for by the sport on its highest-profile night those involved in making the third edition of a Grand Prix in the desert city. Ten minutes of Green running for some, before the damage, followed by the inspection and calling off of FP1 ten minutes later.
We remain focused on providing our patrons with a great experience
F1 management released the following statement as track workers set about repairing the faulty/damaged cover: "After inspection by Formula 1 and the FIA, a single water valve cover on the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit failed during the first practice session. The FIA, F1 and local circuit engineering teams are actively working to review and address the issue. We will provide an update on the race schedule as soon as possible.
"During this review period, all tickets, food and beverage and entertainment options will continue to be honoured, and we remain focused on providing our patrons with a great experience. We appreciate the collaboration of the relevant event operations staff to ensure a safe and orderly egress of patrons if they choose to leave."
But the damage was done and a big blow to the weekend was delivered, not only for F1's image but also teams faced with a big bill for damaged cars.
Vasseur: We have to separate the show and the sporting side
Ferrari F1 boss Fred Vasseur told reporters the damage on Sainz's car would "cost a fortune" and added: "The show is mega and I am very happy with what Liberty [Media] did around the race but we have to separate the show and the sporting side.
"The show is mega. The opening ceremony was something mega in F1 but it is not because you are doing this that you don't have to do the job on the sporting side. You can do the show and do a good job on the sporting side," added the Ferrari boss.
The same happened to Esteban Ocon's Alpine, which required a floor change after running over the faulty cover within the first ten minutes of the session.
An FIA spokesperson told media: "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. Discussions around all possible scenarios are ongoing."
It is not the first time a drain cover has caused problems on an F1 track. In 2019 a stubborn lid had to be 'fixed' after it damaged the Williams of George Russell which caused the cancellation of FP1 at the 2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, on the streets of Baku.
Wolff: How dare you talk bad of an event that sets new standards to everything?
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff defended the organisers vehemently when he all but scolded reporters in the Las Vegas paddock afterwards: "That is not a black eye, this is nothing. We are on Thursday night, we have a free practice session that we're not doing.
"They're going to seal the drain covers, and nobody's going to talk about that tomorrow morning anymore. It's completely ridiculous, completely ridiculous. FP1 - how can you even dare try to talk bad about the event that sets the new standards, new standards to everything?
"And then you're speaking about a drain cover that's been undone. That has happened before, that's nothing. It's FP1. Give credit to the people that have set up this Grand Prix, that have made this sport much bigger than it ever was.
"Have you ever spoken good about someone and written a good word? You should about all these people that have been out here. Liberty has done an awesome job and just because in FP1 a drain cover has become undone, we shouldn't be moaning.
"The car is broken. That's really a shame for Carlos. It could have been dangerous. So between the FIA and the track, everybody needs to analyse how we can make sure that this is not happening again. But talking here about the black eye for the sport on a Thursday evening, nobody watches that in European time anyway," insisted Wolff.
Brundle: Let's stop, fix it, and we'll run a lot more tomorrow
Former F1 driver and Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle reflected on the situation: "They got to establish how many of these need to be fixed. Establish a fix. Do it. Let it dry.
"And then somebody, especially in a country like America, is going to have to sign that off and say: That's acceptable, send the cars out there at 220mph, and we think that'll do'.
"I guess they want to try and find a fix tonight and prove it ready for tomorrow. As soon as I saw it I thought that's going to take an age to get to the bottom of and put something in that fast setting. How fast is fast? It's not exactly warm out here tonight.
"It felt to me like they should have gone 'ok, we've got a fundamental problem here. Let's stop, fix it, and we'll run a lot more tomorrow," added Brundle.
FP2 was scheduled for midnight local time, with repairs happening the start was delayed two hours, with a 90-minute session planned to make amends for the nine minutes of running earlier.
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