The damage to Sainz’s Ferrari
In 2023, for the first time since the two Caesars Palace GPs held in the early ’80s, Las Vegas returned to host Formula 1 on the city circuit of the Strip, but the big return was anything but positive: ten minutes after the start of FP1, in fact, the session was interrupted due to a loose manhole cover that caused damage to Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari. The session, as if that were not enough, did not resume, while FP2 was postponed by a full two hours to allow repairs on the track.
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Delays and the lawsuit against Liberty Media
The delayed start meant that FP2 began after the security staff’s shift ended, which caused the majority of spectators to leave the stands without witnessing the on-track activity. For this reason, many filed a lawsuit against Liberty Media, holder of the Formula 1 rights, requesting a ticket refund. The spectators actually won the case, but they only obtained a partial compensation out of the total $3,047,986 paid by Liberty Media.
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Specifically, the Nevada Court confirmed its ruling: “An agreement was reached in a class action between the defendants Liberty Media Corporation, Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc., and the persons or entities claiming entitlement, along with the class of beneficiaries of the agreement, to a partial refund of the ticket price for the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix, since the defendants had to postpone the second free practice session and subsequently revoked the admission of the class of beneficiaries without just cause before the start of FP2. The proposed agreement does not constitute an admission of guilt by the defendants, who deny all allegations of wrongdoing and disclaim all liability regarding all claims contained in the lawsuit.”
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