The troubled Las Vegas Formula One Grand Prix has been hit with a class action lawsuit on behalf of the 35,000 people who bought tickets for Thursday’s practice session which was cancelled when Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari was damaged by a loose drain cover.
The highly-anticipated first action on the neon-lit circuit, which includes a section along the famed Las Vegas Strip, lasted a little over eight minutes before coming to a halt.
What followed was a five-and-a-half hour break while crews removed all 30 covers along the 3.8-mile layout and filled the holes with sand and asphalt.
A second 90-minute practice session began in front of empty grandstands at 2:30 a.m. on Friday morning, long after fans had been cleared out in a move officials said was a necessary safety precaution.
Las Vegas Grand Prix officials attempted damage control, offering $200 merchandise vouchers to single-day ticket holders.