“Due to logistical considerations for our fans and staff, we have made the decision that we will close all Las Vegas Grand Prix fan areas at 1.30am,” read the since-deleted statement released by the Vegas race on social media platforms. We look forward to welcoming fans back later today to enjoy exciting FP3 and qualifying sessions.”
Autosport understands that fans have had to leave the fan zones due to the end of their security team shifts, meaning the stands and fan zones cannot operate as expected.
It is currently unclear why the statement was deleted from the Vegas racing social media accounts.
But the development means the FP2 session will take place in front of empty stands and end at 4am, a time when the parts of the track running on public roads were supposed to be fully open to the public.
A significant schedule delay for the first day of the Formula 1 Championship in Las Vegas for 41 years was caused by the cancellation of the previous FP1 session after Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Alpine driver Esteban Ocon collided with a loose water valve cap while traversing the long Las Vegas strip section. The trail is 3.9 miles.
Photo taken by: Motorsport pictures
The marshal loads Carlos Sainz’s damaged car, a Ferrari SF-23, onto a truck
Race officials and track engineers made quick inspections and repairs to 30 water valves along the sector – filling them with a mixture of asphalt and resin that will hopefully keep them sufficiently in place when cars drive over them at full speed. On such a long straight.
The large ground effect forces produced by cars on the track as cars move across it have been cited as a reason for the failure of the water valve cover in question, something that occurred specifically around its concrete connection with the rest of the road.
FP2 was eventually rescheduled to 2am after remediation efforts, before being pushed back first by 15 minutes and then a full half-hour to start at 2.30am local time.
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