By Mark Anderson - The Associated Press
Formula 1 fans upset that they were forced to leave the Las Vegas Grand Prix venue early Friday morning, before the start of the second practice session, filed a class-action lawsuit against race organizers and its owner, Liberty Media, in a Nevada court. claiming at least $30,000 in compensation.
Those who bought tickets for the opening night of the race saw just nine minutes of action on Thursday night before driver Carlos Sainz Jr. ran over a water valve cover and damaged his Ferrari.
Fans wait during a delay in the second practice session of the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Nov. 16, 2023.Associated Press
Race staff inspected the circuit, leading to a two-and-a-half-hour delay in the second session, which began on Friday at 2:30 a.m. local time. In addition, the training session was extended from 60 to 90 minutes.
Race organizers offered a $200 discount at the official gift shop, but only for those who had tickets for Thursday night. Most fans bought three-day passes to witness the entire grand prix.
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Stefano Domenicali, president of Formula 1, and Renee Wilm, president of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, issued a statement on Friday stating that they had closed the track to spectators for legal and safety reasons.
A worker fixes the cover that damaged Carlos Sainz, Jr.'s Ferrari in Las Vegas.Associated Press
"We have all gone to concerts, matches and even other Formula 1 races, which have been cancelled due to factors such as weather or technical issues," the statement said. "It's something that happens and we hope people understand that," he concluded.