Valve cover causes 'significant delay' in first Las Vegas Grand Prix practice session

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The first practice session of the Las Vegas Grand Prix was canceled, and the second practice session has been delayed, according to Formula 1 officials.

F1 said the second session would start at 2 a.m. before pushing it back another 30 minutes. The session was originally scheduled to start at midnight.

According to ESPN, because of "logistical concerns," the second practice will have no fans at the track.

Less than 10 minutes into the first session, Scuderia Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz had a message pop up on the dashboard that read 'Stop The Car' and his vehicle slowed to a stop.

Formula 1 officials said the vehicle was damaged due to a concrete frame around a single water valve cover "that had failed."

FANS REACT: Hear what fans at the circuit had to say after FP1 came to an abrupt end:

AP, Nick Didlick

As the vehicle was taken back to the Ferrari garage, you could see a hole in the bottom.

ESPN

ESPN

Joe Moeller

Sainz was walking around the pit and garage building. However, it's unclear if he was injured during the incident.

According to Formula 1 officials, the first practice session was canceled and crews checked all other covers across the circuit.

"We're not going to resume as it's going to take time to understand the issue and take any necessary actions to remedy," F1's governing body said. "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."

RTC of Southern Nevada

Sainz wasn't the only driver whose car was damaged. The Alpine team said that Esteban Ocon will also have to undergo a chassis change "due to damage from a suspected drain cover on the track".

AP/Darron Cummings

"It's a shame that we're not on-track running at the moment," Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner told Sky Sports. "Obviously, there's been a problem. I think the frame around the manhole or the post that's there, that seems to be what's given way so they'll need to check all of the others and probably weld them or do something just to ensure from a safety point of view because you can see the damage that's been done to the Ferrari."

Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur said the whole team is upset by the situation.

"We damaged completely the monocopque, the engine, the battery," Vasseur said. "It cost us a fortune. I think it's just unacceptable."

It's something echoed by McLaren Team Principal Zak Brown who said Las Vegas is a huge event and it's unfortunate how it has kicked off. Williams Team Principal James Vowles said they definitely know how it feels.

"We've been on the receiving end of it," Vowles said. A few years ago, whenever George Russell was driving for Williams, he hit a manhole cover in Baku. That happened during the 2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, about 12 minutes into the first free practice session of the day. The manhole cover dislodged after Ferrari's Charles Leclerc drove over it earlier that session.

Vasseur said the Las Vegas Grand Prix was a big step for Formula 1 and that they shouldn't rush to judge who is to blame. Brown and Vowles agreed adding that people shouldn't jump to conclusions that corners were cut. However, they said it does need to be looked at to make sure it doesn't happen again. Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff added that these things can happen, but it is a shame.

"This is 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," Wolff said. "Liberty has done an awesome job. 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. [Everybody] needs to analyze how we can make sure that this is not happening again. But talking about a black eye for the sport, on a Thursday evening, nobody watches that in European time anyway."

Vasseur said he is just "shocked" and "doesn't want to say too much".

"Our track time is cut short and we have to find a solution," Vasseur said. "It could have been much worse."

When looking at the fastest times before the session was stopped, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was in first at 1:40.909. Haas drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen were in second and third at +2.537 seconds and +3.352 seconds.

While repairs are made to the track, some drivers are choosing to look on the bright side.