The Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend is anticipated to host hundreds of thousands of fans, but FP2 unfolded behind closed doors as spectators were cleared from the grandstands and fan zones before the session commenced.
This change occurred because FP1 was cancelled, causing a delay in the second practice session. The cancellation was prompted by Carlos Sainz’s contact with a loose drain cover, resulting in chassis damage and a red flag being raised within the initial eight minutes of the session.
Following damage to both Sainz and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, essential engineering work was required, leading to a significant two-and-a-half-hour delay to the start of FP2.
Yet, because of this delay, FP2 was scheduled to kick off at 2:30 am local time in Las Vegas, with expectations for its conclusion at 4am owing to the extended session time of 90 minutes.
As a result, fans were asked to vacate the grandstands and fan areas before the start of the session. An F1 announcement was sent to ticket holders, saying the decision was made due to “logistical issues.”
Pundit Ted Kravitz of Sky F1 provided an explanation for the fans’ removal from the areas and expressed empathy for those who made an effort to remain despite the unannounced postponement.
“It appears that the police, spectator marshals, and marshals on this grandstand across from the pits, are making sure that everyone is leaving,” stated Kravitz. “They’re removing the grandstands, and I really apologize,”
While everyone was waiting, including me at the back straight, or more accurately, the second corner straight, I noticed that between 60 and 80 intrepid fans were sitting, possibly napping, but their main goal was to see Final Pass. I was glad they were still going to stick with it because my heart was with them.
However, the circuit claims that they are forcing the fans to vacate the grandstands because they are unable to supply the workers, marshals, and safety stewards necessary to ensure their well-being.
Fan Reaction
Attending the Las Vegas Grand Prix was no budget-friendly affair, especially considering the SG1 grandstand ticket for just Friday was priced at $500.
Reddit users voiced their displeasure with the decision to remove fans, citing the high cost of the tickets as a major reason for their displeasure.
Another fan going by the handle “jonnys_honda” expressed disappointment in response to one fan posting the official F1 statement regarding the removal, stating, “My seats at the Sphere were $218 for the day.” That was the only day I went. My first visit to the doctor 😐.”
“Mtojay,” a different user who replied, stated, “Only 218. It comes out to 27,25$ per minute. Fantastic stuff (sadly, they won’t refund it all for Friday, but they should).
In a YouTube video, another fan described their personal experience, describing how disappointing it was to be kicked out 30 minutes before FP2 started.
Regretfully, it is unlikely that those who bought Friday tickets for the Las Vegas weekend and saw just eight minutes of action on the track will be reimbursed. This circumstance is similar to the earlier instance of nonpayment following the 2021 cancellation of the Belgian Grand Prix.
F1 is happy to welcome all fans for the remainder of the weekend, despite the difficulties encountered on the first day of live racing. It is hoped that Friday’s problems won’t recur.
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