The Legal Fallout from the Las Vegas Grand Prix Drain Cover Incident

The Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend in 2023 had a standout moment during the first practice session, rather than during the race itself. Carlos Sainz, driving for Ferrari at the time, collided with a loose drain cover, severely damaging his car’s floor and energy store. Additionally, Esteban Ocon’s Alpine car also suffered damage from the incident.

The session faced an abrupt halt, indicated by a red flag, and was ultimately canceled. This cancellation led to a significant delay for the second practice session, as crews worked tirelessly to secure the remaining drain covers and repair the damaged circuit.

This delay prompted thousands of fans to depart before the following session commenced. Attorney Steve Dimopoulos took action quickly, filing a class-action lawsuit arguing that measures taken to compensate fans were inadequate.

Court documents reported by The Las Vegas Review Journal indicated that a federal judge provided preliminary approval for a settlement involving the Las Vegas Grand Prix management—LVGP—and its parent company, Liberty Media Corp. This settlement amounted to $3.05 million and awaited final approval in November.

Attorney Steve Dimopoulos detailed the terms of the settlement to The New York Post. He explained that the common fund of $3.05 million would benefit holders of approximately 32,000 eligible tickets. Individual compensation would vary based on ticket type, participation rates, and associated fees and expenses.

If every eligible ticket holder submits a claim, each person would receive a modest amount—a sum potentially useful for purchasing merchandise like a hat during the next event.

Despite the incident, the Las Vegas Grand Prix has been successfully held without significant issues in the subsequent years and has now secured a place in the Formula 1 schedule until 2037.

The drain cover mishap led to further controversy when Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari required a new engine due to the damage, resulting in a ten-place grid penalty as the team contended with Mercedes for the second position in the championship standings.