Formula One Fans File Class-Action Lawsuit
Formula One enthusiasts who attended the Las Vegas Grand Prix were left disappointed as they were forced to leave the venue early on Friday morning before the start of the second practice session. In response, a class-action lawsuit has been filed against the Las Vegas Grand Prix and its owner, Liberty Media, by the Las Vegas-based Dimopoulos Law Firm and co-counsel JK Legal & Consulting. The lawsuit, filed in Nevada state court, seeks a minimum of $30,000 in damages.
The incident occurred during the race's opening night when Carlos Sainz Jr. ran over a water valve cover, causing damage to his Ferrari. As a result, race officials had to inspect the course, leading to a 2 1/2-hour delay for the second session. The practice session, which was originally scheduled for an hour, was extended to 90 minutes.
While race officials have offered a $200 discount at the official gift shop for those who held single-night tickets on Thursday, the majority of fans possess three-day passes and are not eligible for the discount.
F1 President Stefano Domenicali and Renee Wilm, CEO of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, released a joint statement on Friday explaining that the decision to close the track to spectators was made for both safety and legal reasons.
A statement released by the organizers of the Las Vegas Grand Prix acknowledged the disappointment of canceling the event due to unforeseen circumstances. They emphasized that such cancellations are not uncommon in the world of live events and expressed hope that people would understand.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix, with an estimated cost of $500 million, was a significant investment for Formula 1. The expenses included repaving roads, constructing fencing, and extensive promotion. The race, which took place on a nearly 4-mile-long track alongside iconic landmarks of Sin City, stood out for being held on city streets.
However, the construction of the racecourse has caused frustration among some locals. Wade Bohn, the owner of a 24-hour convenience store, complained that the course construction blocked access to his business.
Bohn expressed his discontent with the Las Vegas Grand Prix, stating that his business did not benefit from it. As a result, he had to lay off half of his staff and experienced an 80% decline in revenue. Bohn also expressed concern about the Flamingo Road bridge, a 760-foot structure built for the race, which has recently been opened to general traffic when not in use for the grand prix. He feared that if the bridge becomes permanent, his business would suffer even more due to the lack of traffic.
The fate of the Flamingo Road bridge remains uncertain. While it is currently open to the public, there are discussions about its potential permanence after this year's race concludes, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
F1 Grand Prix in Las Vegas
F1 currently has a three-year deal with the city for the grand prix, and the option to extend for seven more years after that.
"Hopefully F1 learns a lot from this first year, and they'll get a lot of things ironed out to where next year and the years to come, it will be more smoother," Las Vegas resident Jeff Toco told CBS News.
