The coming Formula One Grand Prix race set for this coming weekend in Las Vegas has hit another snag, this time as a car was seriously damaged and nearly turned into a fireball during a practice run on November 16.
Several videos show Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari roaring down the track past the Cromwell Hotel when it suddenly starts belching out a show of flames and sparks before slowing down and pulling over to the side of the track.
WATCH:
One more pic.twitter.com/rDrFDYjLW9
— Las Vegas Locally 🌴 (@LasVegasLocally) November 17, 2023
According to TMZ Sports, Sainz hit a loose metal drain cover embedded in the street that leaped up and wrecked the underside of his racer.
Ferrari was forced to replace the car’s chassis, engine, and battery. The replacements cost the team a 10-place grid penalty for the coming race.
Needless to say, Sainz was not happy about the track conditions.
The driver told fans that he had an “Eventful and long day. We seem competitive, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
But then he added, “However, the situation of the manhole damage and the 10-place penalty is not acceptable, but we’ll deal with it.”
🇺🇸Eventful and long day. We seem competitive and I’m looking forward to tomorrow. However, the situation of the manhole damage and the 10-place penalty is not acceptable, but we’ll deal with it.
–#CarlosSainz pic.twitter.com/ycGPtNiTTi
— Carlos Sainz (@Carlossainz55) November 17, 2023
Race officials sent in a work team to weld the drain cover down into place, but the work caused the second practice run to be delayed.
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