Manhole cover rears destructive head at Las Vegas Grand Prix

The very first session on the new Las Vegas track lasted just nine minutes before it came grinding to a halt, not to be restarted. Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari had pulled up a drain cover as it passed over it at around 190mph and the effect was devastating as the metal cover was briefly wedged between the car’s floor and the track, levering the rear of the Ferrari off the ground and destroying the front part of the floor and the battery contained within. The chassis and battery were both write-offs; thankfully Sainz was unhurt.

The track had only finally passed its FIA track inspection days earlier. The drain covers were bolted down but the concrete collar into which they were bolted had been pulled loose, probably by cars prior to Sainz’s arrival, until the cover itself was pulled up. These cars generate over 3.5 tons of downforce at 150mph, around 70% of which comes from the suction effect of their underbodies.

It was similar to incidents seen in the past at Sepang, Monaco and Baku – but it was a very unfortunate way for the heavily promoted Vegas Grand Prix weekend to begin. The covers were taken up and Tarmacadam was used; second practice was delayed two and a half hours and extended by 30 minutes. Which, given the night timetable, meant a 2.30am-4am session.

Meantime spectators, inset, who had patiently waited in the grandstands were told by security staff and police to vacate the grandstands just prior to the session beginning. There was a problem with working hours of the circuit employees which precluded them staying on the job for so long and an insurance risk of leaving spectators unsupervised.

Although the event itself was deemed a great success, these early teething troubles left some with a bitter taste.