[Official] Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023: Grand Prix Weekend Thread - Round 22 of 23

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by Richard C

I want to clarify something I said earlier. I thought the entire ring was pulled out of the concrete. It is clear from photos I just looked at, that the ring was not pulled out, but it was not. It was just the lid/cover.

Richard

It looks to me like they were grouted over (maybe hydraulic cement), Richard. I think that caused some of the damage to the car as well. If you asked me yesterday if that would work, I would have said yes, absolutely. And you can just chip it out rather then cut welds after the event! Whoops.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

Once the hype wears off and actual race fans still can't afford to go, they'll turn these dates over to the middle-east as Allah intended.

Maybe one to Egypt and one to Iran. FOM would turn both into spectacles! Night races for both. For Egypt, the track would loop around the Giza Pyramid. for Iran, the track would run right through the arch in the Azadi Tower.

Seriously, I hope we have the worst behind us at the race in Vegas.

Richard

[v8supes]

Crazy that Ferrari were able to build an entire new car for Sainz between the sessions. Unheard of

[bathurst77]

Farce Vegas
or
Las Fiasco?

[bathurst77]

I thought Martin was falling asleep when he covered Turn 3. You could tell he was unimpressed

[bathurst77]

Carlos cops 10 grid spot drop for using too many parts. That sucks
There seems to be a way to get dispensation if all teams agree. But 1 team didnt - Mercedes


Toto claimed that there is no such loophole Zak said there is.

[AndrewCherry]

One thing that was incredibly noticeable to me, at least from a watching on TV perspective (and very much heightened by how much the whole Vegas thing had been hyped) was how little of anything distinctive you could actually see in race shots.


This is kind of the problem with this type of track and modern safety approaches. All you really see most of the time is track surface, concrete walls, and a tunnel of high grey catch fencing. You might get a glimpse of building or lights in the background, but generally, that's all your getting. From that perspective, most of the lap could have been Singapore, or Macau, or any of the other places where they stick a big race on public roads. It's not inevitable - the architecture of somewhere like Baku means that you're running through quite open and wide streets which changes the environment a lot, but around somewhere like this, you could have put it anywhere. Caesars Palace carpark? It might as well have been.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by AndrewCherry

One thing that was incredibly noticeable to me, at least from a watching on TV perspective (and very much heightened by how much the whole Vegas thing had been hyped) was how little of anything distinctive you could actually see in race shots.


This is kind of the problem with this type of track and modern safety approaches. All you really see most of the time is track surface, concrete walls, and a tunnel of high grey catch fencing. You might get a glimpse of building or lights in the background, but generally, that's all your getting. From that perspective, most of the lap could have been Singapore, or Macau, or any of the other places where they stick a big race on public roads. It's not inevitable - the architecture of somewhere like Baku means that you're running through quite open and wide streets which changes the environment a lot, but around somewhere like this, you could have put it anywhere. Caesars Palace carpark? It might as well have been.

I agree and feel like the only F1 street races that convey the "vibe" of the city are Baku and Monaco. You're correct though, as many of the casinos are placed well off the strip, like the Bellagio, and the newer ones, like the Wynn, just look like mid-rise office buildings. A Vegas race has to be a night though because during the day, it's honestly ugly and depressing. The cool amazing stuff is on the inside of the hotels/casinos. Since it's mid-November and gets dark at 5:30, hows about we hold the race then so the east coast of the US AND much of Europe can watch at a resonable time? I say this as a person who has really enjoyed a short trip to LV... it's kind of ridiculous.

Miami, on the other hand, truly is held in a parking lot. Full disclosure, I probably unfairly hate Miami and would sell the whole state of Florida to the highest bidder.

[Alan52]

Originally Posted by AndrewCherry

One thing that was incredibly noticeable to me, at least from a watching on TV perspective (and very much heightened by how much the whole Vegas thing had been hyped) was how little of anything distinctive you could actually see in race shots.


This is kind of the problem with this type of track and modern safety approaches. All you really see most of the time is track surface, concrete walls, and a tunnel of high grey catch fencing. You might get a glimpse of building or lights in the background, but generally, that's all your getting. From that perspective, most of the lap could have been Singapore, or Macau, or any of the other places where they stick a big race on public roads. It's not inevitable - the architecture of somewhere like Baku means that you're running through quite open and wide streets which changes the environment a lot, but around somewhere like this, you could have put it anywhere. Caesars Palace carpark? It might as well have been.

Definitely agree.With other night races such as Singapore it wasn’t until you saw a daylight practice session that you really understood the layout and could identify the features of the track when it was night.That won’t happen here.

[v8supes]

LOL they gave single day ticket holders a $200 voucher to spend on circuit merchandise...

As if these people want to buy souvenirs for an event they saw 9 minutes of.

Also F1 never said sorry for what happened, why? "LEGAL CONCERNS"

[broadrun96]

Some of y'all are NOT US knowledgeable so maybe saying things and proving your lack of such things could be excused. But you say ANYTHING here publicly about what you could have done and sorry but your previous FIA is DONE DONE DONE. Not FOM, the entire enchilada will be rolled up in a lawsuit so big the deBeers guys will think they got off easy with not getting to move their money. You do not EVER admit anything different could have been done publicly, you develop a plan to correct the issue and do not write anything down about why. Or you gave the wrath of guys who can destroy a business and make FIA and FOM folks consider US a no go area so they can't be served.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by v8supes

Crazy that Ferrari were able to build an entire new car for Sainz between the sessions. Unheard of

By “unheard off” I guess you mean “routine” in that timescale??

[Born Racer]

Originally Posted by Richard C

Seriously, I hope we have the worst behind us at the race in Vegas.

Richard

You want to bet on that?

[v8supes]

Originally Posted by peebee2

By “unheard off” I guess you mean “routine” in that timescale??

Well i mean teams dont usually change a chassis in a number of hours. Normally drivers have to miss P2 if they need a change after P1

[P38 in workshop]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Some of y'all are NOT US knowledgeable so maybe saying things and proving your lack of such things could be excused. But you say ANYTHING here publicly about what you could have done and sorry but your previous FIA is DONE DONE DONE. Not FOM, the entire enchilada will be rolled up in a lawsuit so big the deBeers guys will think they got off easy with not getting to move their money. You do not EVER admit anything different could have been done publicly, you develop a plan to correct the issue and do not write anything down about why. Or you gave the wrath of guys who can destroy a business and make FIA and FOM folks consider US a no go area so they can't be served.

I have no doubt you are quite correct.Losing the USA would be a bit inconvenient but life would go on.There is a need for a big improvement in the way this has been done and Miami was rather too similar,even if the track held up.It feels as though Liberty have sold their soul to Netflix and are too focused on American success while neglecting paces such as France,which does have a history of Formula 1 and even a couple of good drivers in the series.I hope a half decent race can be salvaged from the fiasco of the early sessions.

[chillibowl]

I didn’t see practice but it looks very Vegas to me. Definitely can tell you are going down the strip, hotel signs, fountains, sphere in the background etc.

Different shots/angles being used in quali?

[Mike Harte]

I can't remember where I read this but I believe the article said that, during this long weekend, one of the major attractions in Vegas (or so I believe) are the water displays at the Bellagio, and they are having to turn them off. Unfortunately, the article didn't expand on the reason that there will be no display.

[chillibowl]

The fountains looked on to me?

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

Don't worry, this event and Miami only have a couple years in them.

I remember a crew welding the mans hole covers during a race at Miami. Lucky drivers, the crew was working under YF protection.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by midgetman

Maybe the Vegas organisers will take their responsibilities a bit more seriously in future.

I hope they get hit with a massive fine and have to compensate the teams.

It all happens because they try to short cut the rules. Whatever happened to "must organise an international race meeting before a GP"?

Who is going to impose a fine? Liberty/FOM are organising the race, so they can't fine themselves. I suppose as the sanctioning body, the FIA could fine them but they have approved the race, so that would look a bit silly. Liberty could sack the Las Vegas GP CEO Renee Wilm but that hasn't happened.

[bathurst77]

I heard someone on my Teevee saying they had welded the covers down for the weekend, but that weld failed.
Im guessing some bloke/girl need not bother turning up to work on monday

[bathurst77]

Here it is!

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Dimopoulos Law Firm has partnered with another firm to file a lawsuit in Nevada District Court on behalf of the 35,000 fans that attended the opening day mayhem.

The lawsuit has been taken out against Formula 1’s ownership group Liberty Media Corporation — as well as the Las Vegas Grand Prix and TAB Contractors Incorporated.

“We will vindicate the rights of the fans that travelled great distances and paid small fortunes to attend, but were deprived of the experience,” Dimopoulos Law Firm owner and lead lawyer Steve Dimopoulos said in a statement.

[Guthrie]

It would be interesting to see how many laps it would take Max to get past Leclerc in today's race.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Guthrie

It would be interesting to see how many laps it would take Max to get past Leclerc in today's race.

How far is it to T1? That far

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by bathurst77

I heard someone on my Teevee saying they had welded the covers down for the weekend, but that weld failed.

Im guessing some bloke/girl need not bother turning up to work on monday

They would be incorrect, it was the entire housing that lifted according to all around. Would need to see pictures that a weld failed and they were then working around the housing instead of a new weld and checking the other covers as they were sealed and covered as well