Las Vegas Grand Prix: the outcome remains mixed for the first one

The Las Vegas Grand Prix and Liberty Media have generated a lot of talk for their very American way of producing the event. A grand opening ceremony reminiscent of a Super Bowl finale, challenging free practice sessions, disputed decisions, and an enjoyable race.

A race that lived up to its promises

With a first place fiercely contested throughout the race and a battle until the last turn for second place, this Las Vegas Grand Prix has broken away from other editions where Max Verstappen took the lead from the early laps. Interesting duels that allowed for overtaking, a challenging track that slightly shuffled the cards, and long straights that gave significant importance to speed and DRS. For the podium drivers, the sporting assessment is unanimous.

« I mean, what a race. Honestly, I really enjoyed it », testifies Charles Leclerc in the post-race press conference. The same goes for Sergio Perez, when asked if the race delivered a good spectacle. « Yes, I think that’s the case […]. It wasn’t easy to stay away from the people behind, and it’s a bit like in Baku, being the lead car makes life a bit more difficult. So, I think it’s a good thing ».

A feeling that intersects with that of the day’s winner, Max Verstappen. « It was clear that the DRS was very powerful. So even if you took the lead, if the guy behind stayed within DRS range, he would always have an opportunity to catch up to you, which, I think, created quite a few exciting duels here. So it was really a lot of fun ». Very interesting, especially when you know what the Red Bull driver had to say about the event.

About the non-sporting aspect that has taken up a lot of space

Positive reviews that come to conclude a Grand Prix that had a rough start. Max Verstappen didn’t hold back when it came to giving his opinion about the entire show and spectacle, especially during the Grand Prix opening ceremony last Wednesday. He declared feeling like a clown on the platforms that showcased the drivers and mentioned that this Grand Prix was 99% show and 1% race.

Another unfortunate event occurred during the first free practice session. After only 8 minutes of racing, Carlos Sainz collided with a poorly fixed sewer grate, resulting in a halt to the session for the Ferrari driver as well as all the others. Repairs on the track are initiated to fill the hole, but they take hours. Forced to repair a large part of his car against his will, the driver receives a 10-place penalty. Frederic Vasseur has announced his intention to request compensation from Liberty Media for the cost of repairs.

Meanwhile, the work is taking so much time that the spectators, who had paid a minimum of 800 € to attend the two free practice sessions, were evacuated since the stewards and the security service had finished their shifts. In compensation, the organization offered a $200 voucher to be used in the official Grand Prix of Las Vegas store. However, this meager compensation only applies to those who had a ticket for Thursday only and not the others.

Result, approximately 35,000 people have already filed a class action lawsuit against the organizers, accusing them of breach of contract, negligence, and misleading business practices.