A bizarre track issue involving a loose manhole cover brought a dramatic halt to Formula 1 practice for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, creating a chaotic evening for championship leader Lando Norris and his rivals.
Session Disrupted by Déjà Vu Drain Drama
The second practice session of the night was thrown into disarray not once, but twice, following reports of a dislodged drain cover at the final corner. The incident drew immediate and uncomfortable parallels with the inaugural Las Vegas event two years ago, when a similar failure catastrophically damaged Carlos Sainz's Ferrari.
The one-hour session was first red-flagged at 8:38 PM local time as a precaution. The FIA, F1's governing body, stated that while marshals had reported a possible loose manhole cover at Turn 17, race control could not confirm the issue via available CCTV. Officials were dispatched to the scene to assess the situation.
After a 16-minute delay, the pit lane re-opened, with the FIA expressing confidence that the track was safe. However, the reprieve was short-lived. Cars had been back on the iconic Strip circuit for a mere three minutes when the red flags were deployed again.
Norris Tops a Distorted Timesheet
Amid the interruptions, Lando Norris managed to set the pace. The McLaren driver, who holds a 24-point championship lead, posted the fastest time, narrowly beating Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli by a mere 0.029 seconds.
His main title rival, Red Bull's Max Verstappen – who is 49 points behind – could only manage ninth place. Norris's own teammate, Oscar Piastri, finished down in 14th position. The repeated stoppages meant the session's timesheet was heavily distorted, as many top drivers were unable to complete a representative lap on the quickest soft-compound tyres.
Investigation and Unseen Drama
The reason for the second stoppage was more definitive. The FIA revealed that personnel who had remained on-site witnessed the manhole cover moving as cars passed over it, prompting the decision to end the session under red-flag conditions for a total suspension of 19 minutes.
Adding to the peculiar nature of the event, the international television feed, which is controlled by Formula One Management (FOM), did not broadcast footage of the affected area during either delay, leaving viewers in the dark about the specific location and nature of the problem.
With the championship reaching its climax, this disrupted running in Las Vegas – the only race on the calendar promoted directly by F1's owners, Liberty Media – sets the stage for a tense and unpredictable weekend. Only the rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi remain after this event.
