During the inaugural Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend, a significant incident occurred not during the race or qualifying but in the first practice session. Carlos Sainz, then driving for Ferrari, hit a drain cover, leading to severe damage to his car’s floor and energy store. Esteban Ocon, the Alpine driver at that time, also suffered damage to his car. The session was red-flagged and eventually canceled, delaying the second practice session by several hours as crews worked to repair the circuit and secure all other drain covers.
This unexpected delay caused many fans to leave before the next session began. In response, attorney Steve Dimopoulos filed a class action lawsuit, arguing that the efforts to compensate for the situation were insufficient.
“Crews worked to repair damage after a loose drain cover was hit during the first practice session of the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend in 2023.” (Photo by Jared C. Tilton – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
According to The Las Vegas Review Journal, court documents revealed that a federal judge granted preliminary approval for a settlement with LVGP and its parent company, Liberty Media Corp., totaling just over $3 million. Final approval is expected in November.
Dimopoulos stated to The New York Post, “The settlement establishes a $3.05 million common fund for holders of approximately 32,000 eligible tickets. Individual payments will vary depending on ticket type, participation rates, attorney’s fees, costs, and administrative expenses.” This means the amount each person receives will depend on the number of claimants. With all 32,000 eligible ticket holders participating, the payout might only cover a modest purchase at the next Las Vegas Grand Prix.
“Then-Ferrari driver sustained major damage to his car after hitting a loose drain cover during practice ahead of the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix.” (Photo by Simon Galloway / LAT Images)
Despite the incident, the subsequent races have proceeded smoothly, featuring in the F1 schedule through 2037. The drain cover incident in 2023 led to further controversy as the damage required a new engine for Carlos Sainz, resulting in a ten-place grid penalty. This affected Ferrari’s tight competition with Mercedes for second place in the championship standings.
Matthew Reigle, a writer for OutKick, has covered this story extensively.
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