F1 2023 - Round 22 - USA - Las Vegas

El_Duderino 09

This drain covers issues is the kind of thing that happens at the gimmick races. Happened at Monaco too in recent years. This is a vanity project where the race isn't really important. It's a media event.

In the mix of business, entertainment and sport, the sport is a distant third consideration. Given the lack of competition for the championship, they can't really afford a dud race. But as long as they get the business and off track entertainment, they'll probably happy. This isn't a weekend for f1 fans.

Andrew76

FP2 to start at 10am our time it just said on sky.

dulpit

Not a good look for the organisers at all... Vasseur rightly angry in his presser...

dulpit

Also, Sky besrly gave the perfect kind up. Jenson, Karun, Brundle. But also Danica bloody Patrick.

MadYaker

Well I’m glad I didn’t get up early to watch that sh!tshow.

The is pretty much the worst possible start to the weekend they could have had. Shambles.

dulpit

Looms like I can't embed from twitter (thanks Elon), but reports now that FP2 will be 90 minutes and run from 2am to 3:30am local time. Bananas.

Itssoeasy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121378669#Comment_121378669

And I’m off today so coming into this weekend I was looking forward to watching the FP sessions and everything else, and I didn’t wake up on time to see most of the FP1 but as I said I didn’t miss much.

Lawlesz

Just saw a bit of the TP press conference on F1TV, Fred was actually much more angry than the small clips on twitter showed. What did Toto say to him off mic? Right before he told Toto he would be angry too?

Itssoeasy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121378717#Comment_121378717

Don’t know but I saw toto gave the PR answer to how safe the track is. It’s a shambles that the track isn’t safe. Also, Carlos had lifted for a yellow flag, so wasn't going top speed. We saw the damage he did when he lifted, imagine what the damage would be if he hadn’t ?

flazio

👮‍♀️911 What's the emergency

👴 Hi yes I'd like to report some hooligans roaring their noisy cars around the streets. It's 3 in the morning and I'd like to get some sleep.

artanevilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121378747#Comment_121378747

So a normal Vegas evening?

klose

https://twitter.com/f1multiviewer/status/1725412647766491213?t=Gm-0-7aRIkI2PheFk4pcHg&s=19

Pop goes the chassis. FP2 taking place from 2 to half 3 in the morning local time, pretty embarrassing stuff.

bennyx_o

Another 15min delay to FP2

Itssoeasy

Been delayed a further 15 minutes and they’ve apparently closed the fan areas. Imagine paying money to go the sessions today and seeing barely any cars going around.

artanevilla

Disgraceful.

bennyx_o

https://twitter.com/autosport/status/1725447879966281989

What a farce - like Covid all over again with no fans (even if it is only a practice session)

Lawlesz

Absolute shambles, Medland says the fan closure is likely down to staffing issues. Not sure if it's dragged on too long and they need to go home or what, but surely they could have forseen that coming?

Can't imagine paying all that money, sitting there for what, 3 hours watching them patch holes in the road, and then be sent packing. Surely that amount of people leaving the venue at one time with half the city closed for a live track will be a disaster?

bennyx_o

And yet another 15min delay

artanevilla

I suppose it's apt that this is happening in Las Vegas, a city literally built with the express purpose of getting as much money out of your pocket as humanly possible before you leave.

thefa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121378717#Comment_121378717

Think Toto just chimes in after Vasseur’s answer with “Fred is upset.” and quickly repeats it with the mic picking it up better. There’s another clip of him vehemently defending the event.

I’m not sure has he additional skin in the game for this event but there’s no way he’d be as passionately defending it if it had been a Mercedes.

bennyx_o

Police now clearing the grandstands on the main straight.. I'd be rightfully pissed off if I'd shelled out all that money and not being allowed to watch.

Ted saying the circuit saying they don't have the staff numbers so have to empty the stands. No mention of partial refunds

dulpit

Sky just mentioned there that Carlos will have to take a grid penalty now because of changes to his car. Seems frightfully unfair.

Itssoeasy

So Sainz gets a grid penalty from something that was completely outside his and the teams control. Rules are rules but let’s be honest this is not a normal situation.

Trampas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121379018#Comment_121379018

Farcical event it is turning into

MadYaker

I’d be raging if I forked out a few hundred dollars to watch this session and I’m sat there watching lads concrete over a water main at 2 in the morning.

dulpit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121379031#Comment_121379031

To be fair, if you are spun off the road because someone drives into you it's the same issue, but still painful.

Itssoeasy

So the track wasn’t cleared until very near the weekend. Indianapolis 2005 can rest easy as it was an unfortunate incident that shouldn’t have happened.

El_Duderino 09

F1 had done a sh1t with its trousers on this weekend. I wonder will it cause long term reputational damage in the US?

I think I heard they have a 10 year contract for races in Las Vegas. Is that true or did I mishear?

If its true then they have 9 years to put it right. If this is a one-off event then it will ne difficult to spin it as anything other than an omnishambles.

Itssoeasy

https://twitter.com/andrewbensonf1/status/1725457081493295207?s=61

Well.

Itssoeasy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121379064#Comment_121379064

I don’t think there will be long term damage as the COTA has shown they can do it right. This just looks like the FIA and organisers didn’t due what they needed to do.