The cause? A broken manhole cover that severely damaged the cars of Carlos Sainz and Esteban Ocon.
The incident occurred on the main straight of the all-new Las Vegas circuit. Initially, a red flag was waved by the race director after Esteban Ocon’s Alpine and then Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari both sustained significant damage from running over the broken section of the track.
Following the inspection, it was determined that the concrete frame around a manhole cover had failed. The situation prompted further checks on all the other manhole covers on the circuit, which will take some time to complete.
The cancellation of the opening practice session left the schedule for the Las Vegas Grand Prix in uncertainty, with the status of the second practice session to be determined. The incident created unexpected challenges for teams and organizers during the return of F1 to Las Vegas, marking the first time since 1982.