OT- FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN SILVER LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX 2023, Nov 16-18 (PST) -OT

lousubcap

The above thread is intended to be consistent with the F1 posts throughout this racing campaign. 

The race weekend details are included in the below thread:

Las Vegas F1 - LOL, devils in the details  

Enjoy the spectacle. 

lousubcap

Bump as the race weekend is this Thursday-Saturday. 

Ozzie_Isaac

I love consistency and I appreciate you vaulting all of the race discussions in searchable formats.

Once season is done, you need to bump each thread in order so they stay all together.

CPFC1905

Not sure if you'll be able to access this, but
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/nov/16/max-verstappen-dismisses-las-vegas-gp-f1

Here's the headline:

"It’s 99% show, 1% sporting event" – Max Verstappen dismisses Las Vegas GP

Battleborn

lousubcap said:

Bump as the race weekend is this Thursday-Saturday. 

Had a little rain through the night. Chances of rain Friday and Saturday. 

lousubcap

CPFC1905 said:

Not sure if you'll be able to access this, but
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/nov/16/max-verstappen-dismisses-las-vegas-gp-f1

Here's the headline:

"It’s 99% show, 1% sporting event" – Max Verstappen dismisses Las Vegas GP

Thanks @CPFC1905 - article came thru just fine and added fuel to the fire circulating around this race. 

lousubcap

The pounding continues for Vegas:

LAS VEGAS -- Formula One's $500 million Las Vegas Grand Prix got started in farcical circumstances as a loose drain cover caused the abandonment of the first practice session.

Only eight minutes into the session, Carlos Sainz's Ferrari stopped on the track, triggering a red flag.

It appeared the Spaniard had driven over a loose drain cover, which would have damaged the underside of his car.

As a clear safety risk, and because the clock of a practice session does not stop ticking down during a red flag, the time it would take to fix the drain cover meant the session was called off.

Alpine also confirmed it will have to change the chassis on Esteban Ocon's car for damage at the same place of the circuit.

"After inspection by Formula 1 and the FIA, a single water valve cover on the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit failed during the first practice session," F1 and Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc. said in a joint statement.

"The FIA, F1 and local circuit engineering teams are actively working to review and address the issue."

F1 hopes to hold a second practice session at 2:30 a.m., 2½ hours after it was due to take place.

It will be extended from 60 to 90 minutes to help make up for lost time.

For that revised session to happen, the governing FIA has to check every one of the water valve covers located down the Strip, which makes up 1.3 miles of the circuit, and secure them down with fast-setting concrete.

The first Formula One practice of the Las Vegas Grand Prix was halted after Carlos Sainz ran over a drain cover.

It is a nightmare start to F1's controversial race. The sport has spent $500 million on it in a rare deal that sees it be the promoter of the event.

Having annoyed locals through the construction of the circuit, it is one of the worst outcomes F1 could have had.

Battleborn

LOL, after that debacle they kicked out all of the paying fans that still stuck around and they were not allowed to watch when the next practice. 

Ozzie_Isaac

Fast setting concrete?  Usually you weld those covers in place, then grind welds off later.  This is pretty interesting.  I wonder who pays for the chassis?

fishlessman

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Fast setting concrete?  Usually you weld those covers in place, then grind welds off later.  This is pretty interesting.  I wonder who pays for the chassis?

looks like the area around the ring chipped away on the concrete pavement? some of the ring is gone, they just fixed the concrete part and covered the metal ring in just the one area

lousubcap

Battleborn said:

LOL, after that debacle they kicked out all of the paying fans that still stuck around and they were not allowed to watch when the next practice. 

Some more insight as to why the fans had to leave:

"Daniel Ricciardo says it was the right decision to run a delayed FP2 at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, even though fans were told to leave the circuit before it started. However, he added that questions regarding the circuit’s safety are justified after a problematic first day for the first-time event.

Loose drain covers led to FP1 being canceled after eight minutes of track running, with Carlos Sainz and Esteban Ocon both sustaining heavy damage and needed to change chassis. While repairs took place, FP2 was delayed from its original starting time of midnight until 2:30am, and fans were told that they had to leave due to security staff having to clock off. (Emphasis added.) Nevertheless, Ricciardo says getting the session in was important."

unoriginalusername

what a messy start to the weekend 

Ozzie_Isaac

I am amazed at how delicate these cars are.  They are like horses.  Run amazing, but look at them funny and they go lame.

lousubcap

It's a lot about the weight.  Here's a read on that topic:

https://us.motorsport.com/f1/news/how-much-does-an-f1-car-weigh-in-2023/10437686/

Yes, the car weighs more than a top shelf thoroughbred however, not nearly as fragile.  Besides, you can easily exchange pieces/parts, not so with the horse.  Happy Friday!

CPFC1905

Ozzie_Isaac said:

I am amazed at how delicate these cars are.  They are like horses.  Run amazing, but look at them funny and they go lame.

This time the thoroughbred is being injured by the ground conditions.
The drain covers are slamming in to the underside of the car,  being sucked out the ground by the huge forces the cars generate.  I assume the same would happen with Indy and Nascar.   

Battleborn

lousubcap

Gonna be quite a race spectacle this PM.  Qualifying was clean but not a lot of run-off given the street course.  The line these drivers take around the course is incredible.

I'm sure there will be post race shenanigans.  Hopefully no one gets hurt or worse. 

Eggdicted_Dawgfan

@lousubcap If they are trying to get the US crowd interested and as a larger fan base, then why are they running the events in the middle of the night rather than prime time? Seems like maybe it’s more about their overseas fan base. No? Does their overseas fan base not have DVR yet? 

JohnInCarolina

Eggdicted_Dawgfan said:

@lousubcap If they are trying to get the US crowd interested and as a larger fan base, then why are they running the events in the middle of the night rather than prime time? Seems like maybe it’s more about their overseas fan base. No? Does their overseas fan base not have DVR yet? 

The explanation I heard was that the late start is for the European audience.  Strangely, they do not do this for the other F1 races that are held in North America, so it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me.  

JohnInCarolina

JohnInCarolina said:

Eggdicted_Dawgfan said:

@lousubcap If they are trying to get the US crowd interested and as a larger fan base, then why are they running the events in the middle of the night rather than prime time? Seems like maybe it’s more about their overseas fan base. No? Does their overseas fan base not have DVR yet? 

The explanation I heard was that the late start is for the European audience.  Strangely, they do not do this for the other F1 races that are held in North America, so it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me.  

Actually, now that I think about it - November and football are probably a factor in the TV audience calculus.  

lousubcap

Upon further review, The schedule is definitely targeted to Western Europe.  The Vegas race is an outlier for the European audience as it kicks off at 6 AM, GMT.  The other Western hemisphere races all start in the 5-7:30 PM GMT window.  Australia and Japan lights out at 5 AM GMT.

Singapore is also a night race and starts at Noon GMT.  FWIW-

Battleborn

lousubcap

@Battleborn - no surprise there.  Given you get around 2 hours per day of F1 racing during the race event, those fans got hosed.  Now, that coupled with the exorbitant pricing makes it a "no brainer." Woulda been cheaper to pay the security staff for the overtime hours. 

Ozzie_Isaac

Eggdicted_Dawgfan

I guess that makes sense for the broader audience but it seems odd if they are trying to really broaden their US based audience. I’m hoping to stay up to watch but it’s most likely going to be a rerun when I catch it. 

Battleborn

lousubcap

Eggdicted_Dawgfan said:

I guess that makes sense for the broader audience but it seems odd if they are trying to really broaden their US based audience. I’m hoping to stay up to watch but it’s most likely going to be a rerun when I catch it. 

As long as you don't pulse any sports media Sunday AM, then DVR is the way to go.  Nothing like waking up knowing you have a couple of hours+ of F1 to get yourself rolling before the No Fun League. 

lousubcap

The network (Disney and whatever channel(s) (ESPN this weekend) gets the stream) does a great job.  No commercials during the racing and excellent coverage, including ride-along features with random drivers. 

Ozzie_Isaac

Battleborn said:

Looks like a pig!

Eggdicted_Dawgfan

I’ll watch the F1 race 4 times before I turn on the nfl. Just can’t get into the nfl. Growing up as a dawgs fan, by the end of Saturday I had seen enough football for the weekend. And the falcons are a disaster year after year so no need watching them. 

kl8ton

I find it hilarious that most news coverage calls these things manholes.  All the pictures I've seen indicate that it would be a very painful experience for a man to go through that hole.