LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Formula 1 officials are "showing appreciation" to Nevada residents who had one-day tickets to see the Las Vegas Grand Prix practice sessions on Thursday night.
Due to drivers hitting a water valve cover, the first session was canceled only nine minutes in while the second session was delayed to 2:30 a.m. Formula 1 officials closed fan areas and asked fans to leave at 1:30 a.m.
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On Friday, race officials announced that Nevada residents who had one-day tickets to Thursday's sessions were sent a fan appreciation email with a $200 merchandise credit.
"Guests were able to enjoy food and beverage and entertainment but this is an extra gesture to share appreciation to Nevada residents," Formula 1 officials said in a statement to Channel 13.
As of Friday night, there's no word on if similar measures were being offered to non-Nevada residents or three-day ticket holders. Several ticket holders also reached out to Channel 13 and said they received a $200 voucher for one of the tickets they purchased. However, they said they didn't receive compensation for additional tickets they bought. Channel 13 has reached out to Formula 1 for more information.
The final practice session is scheduled for Friday at 8:30 p.m. while the qualifying run is scheduled for midnight. You can read the full email sent to those ticket holders below.
"Hello Valued Fan,
There is no higher priority at a Formula 1 race than the safety and security of drivers, fans, and staff alike. Following last night's incident involving a water valve cover, the Las Vegas Grand Prix, F1, and the FIA were faced with the difficult decision to close the fan zones prior to the beginning of Free Practice 2.
We appreciate your patience while we remedied the situation. This was not a decision we took lightly. As a thank you for your support, we would like to offer you a $200 voucher to the Las Vegas Grand Prix Official Shop.
With a full round of practice successfully completed, we look forward to providing a safe and entertaining race weekend for all."
