Formula 1

A class action lawsuit was filed against the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday over the cancellation of Thursday's practice session.

Per Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the lawsuit alleges "breach of contract, negligence, and deceptive trade practices," because of the fact that spectators were removed from the area after a practice session was called off:

A class action lawsuit has been filed against the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix in relation to fans who were escorted out of spectator zones after Thursday’s delayed practice session. Lawsuit alleges breach of contract, negligence, and deceptive trade practices. #vegas #f1 #lasvegasgp pic.twitter.com/rSpmzUEtjP

— Mick Akers (@mickakers) November 18, 2023

The Las Vegas Grand Prix released a statement in which it declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying: "We cannot comment on the litigation. Our focus is on ensuring that our fans have an entertaining experience in a safe and secure environment which is always our top priority."

The first practice for the Las Vegas Grand Prix was scheduled for Thursday night, but according to ESPN's Nate Saunders, it was stopped after just eight minutes when Carlos Sainz's car hit a loose drain cover along the Las Vegas Strip and damaged his car.

F1 and the Las Vegas Grand Prix's organizers released a joint statement on the matter, saying: "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. The FIA, F1 and local circuit engineering teams are actively working to review and address the issue."

The incident forced FIA representatives to check every drain cover along a 1.3-mile portion of the track and use quick-drying cement to secure any additional ones that were loose.

F1 did go forward with its second scheduled practice a few hours later, and Scuderia Ferrari teammates Charles Leclerc and Sainz occupied the top two spots.

This weekend marks the first-ever Las Vegas Grand Prix, and Formula One is heavily invested in making sure it goes well.

Per Saunders, F1 has spent $500 million to make the race a reality, and it has also served as the promoter, which is not typical.

Qualifying went forward as planned early Saturday morning with Leclerc securing the pole, and the Las Vegas Grand Prix is scheduled to start Sunday at 1 a.m. ET.

Formula One called off its first planned Las Vegas Grand Prix practice session Thursday night due to a loose drain cover along the Las Vegas Strip.

According to ESPN's Nate Saunders, F1 and the Las Vegas Grand Prix's organizers commented on the situation in a joint statement, saying: "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. The FIA, F1 and local circuit engineering teams are actively working to review and address the issue."

Per Saunders, the first practice was halted after just eight minutes when Carlos Sainz stopped his car after apparently hitting the loose drain cover. Esteban Ocon also hit the cover, resulting in his team having to change the chassis of his car.

The FIA confirmed that Sainz will take a 10-place grid penalty in the race after Ferrari had to replace a power unit element due to damage from the incident.

While the first practice began at midnight ET before being abandoned, the revised plan called for FIA representatives to check every drain cover along a 1.3-mile portion of the circuit and secure any additional loose ones with concrete before attempting to run a second practice session at 2:30 a.m. ET.

That plan came to fruition, as the second practice was completed without fans and saw Scuderia Ferrari teammates Charles Leclerc and Sainz pace the field:

🏁 END OF FP2 🏁

The two Ferraris end the session on top

TOP 10
Leclerc
Sainz
Alonso
Perez
Bottas
Verstappen
Hulkenberg
Stroll
Hamilton
Albon#F1 #LasVegasGP pic.twitter.com/wyDPm3KbtV

— Formula 1 (@F1) November 17, 2023

The Las Vegas Grand Prix is the second-to-last race of the 2023 F1 season, and this year marks the inaugural edition of the event.

F1 invested heavily to make it a reality, as Saunders noted that Formula One spent $500 million on the race and has served as the promoter.

Max Verstappen has already clinched his third consecutive points title, but there are still plenty of other spots in the standings up for grabs over the final two races.

Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday at 3 a.m. ET, followed by the race itself Sunday at 1 a.m. ET.

Max Verstappen won his fifth race in a row and earned his 17th checkered flag of 2023 on Sunday in the Brazilian Grand Prix, extending the single-season record he already claimed last week.

MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS IN SAO PAULO!!! 🏁🏆🥳

Lando Norris finishes second. Fernando Alonso fends off Sergio Perez on the line to take the final podium place! #F1 #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/04VYPz2r9Y

— Formula 1 (@F1) November 5, 2023

Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso filled out the podium.

Verstappen claimed the pole in during a qualifying session impacted by inclement weather in Sao Paulo. A blistering start from Norris put him hot on the heels of Mad Max, but he was unsurprisingly unable to maintain that pace.

LAP 6/71

Norris is just half a second behind Verstappen ⚔️#F1 #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/O4uKWz5A9L

— Formula 1 (@F1) November 5, 2023

Verstappen was yet again untouchable once he hit full stride midway through the race. For Norris, the task became holding onto his position in second place.

Alonso and Sergio Pérez waged a tight battle for the final spot on the podium. Pérez overtook Alonso on Lap 70, only to cede third place back on the final lap. They went head to head in a sprint to the finish, and Alonso managed to hang on by the slimmest of margins.

LAP 71/71

What a finish!

Alonso fights back to retake P3 - incredible racing! #F1 #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/MEINN1MgRx

— Formula 1 (@F1) November 5, 2023

Charles Leclerc has encountered his fair share of bad luck this season, but nothing tops what unfolded Sunday.

The Monte Carlo native was due to start from the second position but crashed out on the formation lap. He experienced a hydraulics problem that sent him skidding into the wall at Turn 7.

Leclerc after crashing on the formation lap:

"Why the f--- am I so unlucky!" pic.twitter.com/tdOtfVjDND

— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) November 5, 2023

Fans couldn't help but sympathize with Leclerc given how the campaign has unfolded for him.

"God Gives His Toughest Battles to His Strongest Soldiers"

Charles Leclerc be like: pic.twitter.com/iER9KEztMq

— Mahir 🇹🇷🇬🇧 (@ScrewderiaF1) November 5, 2023

how it feels being a charles leclerc fan pic.twitter.com/NyXpYo7p0t

— Holly 🏁 (@lentaholly) November 5, 2023

There's something about that crash for Leclerc that has actually broken me

— Matt Gallagher (@MattP1Gallagher) November 5, 2023

Out of the woods (Charles Leclerc’s version) pic.twitter.com/0sZFpu2v4A

— kiära (@kiwiicroissants) November 5, 2023

He wasn't the only driver to suffer an unexpectedly early exit.

Kevin Magnussen and Alex Albon also collided on the first lap and claimed Oscar Piastri as collateral damage. Piastri was at least able to continue. Alfa Romeo teammates Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu eventually joined the DNF ranks as well.

OUT of the #BrazilGP: ❌

Bottas
Zhou
Magnussen
Albon
Leclerc #F1 pic.twitter.com/DA2WeIHdm9

— Autosport (@autosport) November 5, 2023

The F1 circuit heads to Sin City for the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Nov. 18, which is the penultimate race of the season. At this point, many drivers might already be looking forward to the end of the year, when they and their teams will have more time to devise ways to bridge the gap on Verstappen in 2024.

Max Verstappen remains at the top of the Formula 1 world.

The Belgian-Dutch Red Bull Racing driver emerged victorious at the 2023 Mexico F1 Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS IN MEXICO!!! 🏁🏆🥳

Lewis Hamilton crosses the line in second with Charles Leclerc taking the final podium spot 👏#F1 #MexicoGP pic.twitter.com/PkAUM3EYqk

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 29, 2023

This was Verstappen's third straight victory in the event and his 16th victory on the 2023 season. That total beats the all-time record of 15 wins in a season, which was set by Verstappen a season ago.

Max Verstappen has broken his own record of most wins in a season (15)

He now has 16.#F1 #MexicoGP pic.twitter.com/LeIcFdLZ8Y

— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) October 29, 2023

16 wins in a season

Max Verstappen is just so damn good

— Matt Gallagher (@MattP1Gallagher) October 29, 2023

It was his fifth overall win in the event, with the first two coming in 2017 and 2018. The 26-year-old remains way ahead in the Drivers Championship with 491 points.

Fans on social media praised Verstappen for the dominant performance and his excellent stretch in 2023.

Max Verstappen's Mexican GP winning margins:

2017 - 19.7 seconds
2018 - 17.3 seconds
2021 - 16.5 seconds
2022 - 15.1 seconds
2023 - 13.8 seconds

Such a dominant track and driver combo. One day he will lose, gaps shrinking.

— Enzo (@Aperta) October 29, 2023

1. Verstappen
2. Hamilton
3. Lecrelc #MexicanGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/0dacgHC7zD

— Rami Al-Awadhi (@R7333) October 29, 2023

MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS!!!!
ABSOLUTE DOMINATION #F1 #MexicanGP

— Carlife (@Carlife083007) October 29, 2023

Max Verstappen has now won 5 races at Mexico City already

… with an average winning margin of over 16 seconds.

Absolutely insane driver.

— ✯ 1 (@Willseh14) October 29, 2023

Max Verstappen the Formula 1 icon that you are https://t.co/JLjM6qRXGM

— matt (@FM1_3316) October 29, 2023

It’s Max Verstappen’s world

And we’re just living in it pic.twitter.com/uk9RVhNUKl

— matt (@FM1_3316) October 29, 2023

Max Verstappen breaking his own records like: pic.twitter.com/oPqf99Ymfk

— WTF1 (@wtf1official) October 29, 2023

Max Verstappen breaking his own record of most wins in a season pic.twitter.com/wnMJodSS3Q

— Sem¹ ☆☆☆☆ (@Semmieeef1) October 29, 2023

Max Verstappen is a cheat code going into T1 at Mexico. He's genuinely a freak 😭

— Enzo (@Aperta) October 29, 2023

If you look up the record for most wins in an F1 season, you will now see only one name in the top 2:

1. Max Verstappen - 16 wins (2023)
2. Max Verstappen - 15 wins (2022)

We’ve reached the point where Max’s biggest threat to his own F1 records is himself. That is absurd. pic.twitter.com/TKuqAduwwO

— Daniel Valente 🏎️ (@F1GuyDan) October 29, 2023

Verstappen wasn't the only driver with a record setting performance. Hamilton's second place finish was his 197th podium finish which is the most of all time.

Lewis Hamilton sets a new record for career podiums (197) previously held by Lewis Hamilton (196)#MexicanGP 🇲🇽 #F1 pic.twitter.com/454YtM1JcT

— Bryson Sullivan 🇺🇲 (@NaturalParadigm) October 29, 2023

Fans expressed excitement at his excellent driving and celebrated the opportunity to witness greatness from him and Verstappen.

The support for Hamilton is insane! The Mexican fans no the GOAT when they see him! #F1 #MexicoGP #TeamLH

— Rob Myers (@RobLMyers) October 29, 2023

Max Verstappen winning by 14 seconds and Lewis Hamilton putting 8 seconds on P3. These two really drive on a different level.

— Stefanie (@fastpitstop) October 29, 2023

P2 after a super drive from Lewis Hamilton 😍

Some fantastic overtakes from LH moves him closer to P2 in the driver’s championship 👀 pic.twitter.com/C4284nD2DX

— Scuderia Ferrari News (@FerrariNewsUK_) October 29, 2023

Fastest lap on 42 lap old mediums 🤯

Sir Lewis Hamilton 🐐 pic.twitter.com/a0GNzLMIkE

— Scuderia Ferrari News (@FerrariNewsUK_) October 29, 2023

Jenson Button said most drivers would’ve fallen off a cliff had they fitted for mediums for so long. Lewis Hamilton is #HIM.

— deni (@fiagirly) October 29, 2023

https://twitter.com/MF1motorsports/status/1718750991116599574

Lewis Hamilton defies the odds again, to take used medium tyres 36 laps to the end and grab P2!

And fastest lap on the final lap?! 🔥🔥🔥#MexicoGP 🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/X9WpcuCL1S

— Hamilton Insights (@LH44_insights) October 29, 2023

HIS BIG SMILE LEWIS HAMILTON YOU ARE THE MAN pic.twitter.com/rdSKx3CYGv

— ୨୧ (@dearlews) October 29, 2023

That's got to go down as one of the overtakes of the season from Lewis Hamilton 👏

Bravery. Skill. Execution. pic.twitter.com/AJ8e10Z5Q4

— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) October 29, 2023

SIR LEWIS HAMILTON TAKES HIS 197TH PODIUMS, BREAKING THE RECORD PREVIOUSLY HELD BY SIR LEWIS HAMILTON pic.twitter.com/j3r2DEfBDf

— rin 🐞 (@goatforty4) October 29, 2023

LEWIS HAMILTON IS HIM!! 31 laps on mediums?!?!?!? Against fresher tyres??? And that overtake on LEC??? Driver of the day!!! pic.twitter.com/15iHxpEQeG

— Sarah💯+ (@sidneylandsam) October 29, 2023

Once again Lewis Hamilton shows he’s the master in tyre management. pic.twitter.com/6yXTte6Gpo

— i🍒 (@lewishamil7on) October 29, 2023

The drivers will celebrate the performance today but the next event is just a week away.

The Brazilian Grand Prix is set to take place Nov. 5 at noon E.T.

Max Verstappen secured the 50th victory of his Formula 1 career with a first-place finish at Sunday's U.S. Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

It only took him 181 races to reach the milestone.

Max Verstappen becomes the second-fastest driver ever to reach 50 career wins in F1 🏆

Michael Schumacher is the only driver to reach that milestone in fewer races 🐐 pic.twitter.com/sN6G7toBOv

— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) October 22, 2023

This podium win wasn't as clear-cut a victory for the Red Bull driver as past wins, however. Long-time rival Lewis Hamilton finished the final lap within three seconds of Verstappen.

However, Formula 1 announced on Sunday night that Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified for a technical infringement. Those disqualifications moved Lando Norris to second and Carlos Sainz to third.

RACE CLASSIFICATION (LAP 56/56)

Verstappen takes the chequered flag for the 15th time this season#F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/qB6mlCmsz8

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 22, 2023

Heading into the race, Verstappen was a favorite to win after securing his third consecutive World Drivers' Championship title and 14th Grand Prix title of 2023 in Qatar earlier this month, even given his sixth-place start.

At Turn 1, however, it was Norris in the lead. Norris was racing in his 100th career Grand Prix, and his hot start earned excitement from fans hoping for Norris' first career win in the landmark race.

⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️
⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️

LIGHTS OUT IN AUSTIN!!!

The perfect start for Lando Norris! The McLaren driver leads into Turn 1 🤩#F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/emjixZp7d8

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 22, 2023

me pretending to be a formula 1 car so i can go on track and block everyone from overtaking lando norris pic.twitter.com/JgdFrB3EKG

— andy (@iiiuminateandy) October 22, 2023

Me planning how I'm going to keep lando norris in the lead from my couch #landonorris #McLaren #AustinGP #USAGP #F1 #Formula1 pic.twitter.com/TL8VqnEK0d

— TheCheckeredF1ag (@checkeredf1ag) October 22, 2023

Norris couldn't hold onto the lead past the 28th lap, where he was overtaken by Verstappen.

LAP 28/56

Norris fights all he can but Verstappen will not be denied #F1 #USGP pic.twitter.com/4S6OV3GxiB

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 22, 2023

Pits from Verstappen and Norris allowed Hamilton to take the lead past Leclerc with 20 laps remaining.

https://twitter.com/OzsoyHasan/status/1716184664446996613

https://twitter.com/joshm88_/status/1716184541298151655

Verstappen will walk away with his 15th win of 2023, tying the record he set last season. He will have four more chances to set a new standard for the most victories in one F1 season, starting with the Mexican Grand Prix on October 30.

There reportedly will be plenty of star power backing the Alpine F1 team.

According to Luke Smith of The Athletic, Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are among the new investors in the team. They aren't the only ones, as golfer Rory McIlroy, Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold and boxer Anthony Joshua are also among those who are investing through Otro Capital.

Alpine could certainly use the boost from the new investors.

It is currently in sixth place in the constructors standings with 90 points, which is well behind Red Bull's 657 points. Mercedes (326 points) and Ferrari (298 points) round out the top three in a year that has belonged almost exclusively to Red Bull's dominant team.

Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez are the top two in the drivers standings and have combined to win every race but one this entire year.

Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon are the drivers for Alpine this year, and they have both been in the middle of the pack. Gasly is in 11th place in the standings with 46 points, while Ocon is in 12th place with 44 points.

Gasly's best finish came at the Dutch Grand Prix in August when he reached the podium with a third-place finish, while Ocon's best showing was also a third-place finish at the Monaco Grand Prix in May.

While catching the trio of Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari may be unrealistic for Alpine, it finished in fourth place in 2022. Reestablishing itself as the best team behind the top three could be a reasonable goal with the new investors.

That would mean jumping Aston Martin (230 points) and McLaren (219 points) in 2024 because it is well behind with only five races remaining this year.

Former Formula One CEO Bernie Ecclestone was given a suspended 17-month prison sentence Thursday after pleading guilty to fraud.

According to Sky Sports News, the 92-year-old's prison sentence will be suspended for two years before he is required to serve it:

BREAKING: Ex-F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has been sentenced to 17 months in prison, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to fraud pic.twitter.com/Xfvpzhw0qt

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) October 12, 2023

Per Sean Seddon of BBC News, the fraud charge stemmed from Ecclestone failing to declare a £400 million trust he set up in Singapore while meeting with British tax authorities in 2015.

In addition to the prison term, Ecclestone reached a civil settlement in which he agreed to pay nearly £653 million to HM Revenue and Customs.

While Ecclestone originally pleaded not guilty to the charges, he changed his plea to guilty on Thursday.

According to Seddon, Ecclestone's legal team argued that he should not be sentenced to prison due to his "advanced age, medical issues, and low level of risk to the public."

Before becoming the F1 head, Ecclestone was a driver, competing in two Formula One grand prix races in 1958.

He eventually became a driver manager and then a team owner, leading to his rise into the position of Formula One Constructors' Association CEO.

From there, Ecclestone became the point man for negotiating television rights deals for the F1 grand prix races, and that is how he ultimately became a billionaire.

Per Forbes, Ecclestone has an estimated net worth of $2.9 billion.

He remained in his role as F1 CEO until January 2017 when he was replaced by Chase Carey following Liberty Media's purchase of the racing league.

Shortly thereafter, Ecclestone was named F1's chairman emeritus, and he served in that position until 2020.

Max Verstappen may have already clinched his third straight Formula 1 championship, but he isn't taking his foot off the pedal.

Verstappen earned his 14th win of the 2023 F1 season Sunday at the Qatar Grand Prix, further extending his already-dominant points lead. The 26-year-old clinched his title Saturday when teammate Sergio Perez crashed in Saturday's sprint race.

MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS IN QATAR!!!

An incredible 14th win of the season 💪

Piastri finishes P2, Norris P3 🙌#F1 #QatarGP pic.twitter.com/zcTrZME2ru

— Formula 1 (@F1) October 8, 2023

"This one is the best one," Verstappen told reporters. "I think the first one was the most emotional one because that's when your dreams are fulfilled in F1. But this one definitely in my opinion has been my best year also for consecutive wins and stuff. The car itself has been probably in the best shape as well. This one is probably I'm most proud of in a way because of consistency."

Verstappen has won an astounding 14 of 17 races during the 2023 season and has finished outside the top two just once. He needs two wins over the final five races to break the single-season F1 record he set just one year ago.

Verstappen is jarringly already the fifth-winningest driver in F1 history and could move as high as third on the all-time list if he sweeps the remaining races in 2023.

"I achieved more than I could have ever even dreamed of or any goals that I wanted to achieve in F1," Verstappen said. "So I'm loving the moment. We'll see where we end up. It's already way more than I ever thought I could achieve, so it's perfect."

Rookie Oscar Piastri continued his impressive weekend with a second-place finish. Piastri won Saturday's sprint race and now has two straight podium results.

Lando Norris, George Russell and Charles Leclerc rounded out the top five.

Lewis Hamilton did not finish after crashing out following a collision with Russell. Formula 1's all-time wins leader said he takes "full responsibility" for the crash.

I’ve watched the replay and it was 100% my fault and I take full responsibility. Apologies to my team and to George.

— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) October 8, 2023

Hamilton has not won in his last 40 races, by far the worst stretch of his career.

Max Verstappen clinched his third consecutive Formula One points championship Saturday with a second-place finish in the Qatar Grand Prix sprint race.

While Oscar Piastri won the sprint, Verstappen was assured of his third straight title when Red Bull Racing teammate Sergio Pérez crashed out on the 11th of 19 laps.

Pérez entered the race second in the points standings behind Verstappen, and he needed to finish in the top three to have any chance of prolonging Verstappen's coronation as a three-time champ.

Entering this weekend, Verstappen had dominated the competition during the 2023 season, winning 13 of the 16 grand prix races. He also finished second twice and fifth once.

Pérez won in Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan earlier this season, and the only other driver to win a grand prix this season is Carlos Sainz Jr.

Verstappen, who is a 26-year-old driver from the Netherlands, won his first points title in 2021, breaking Lewis Hamilton's streak of four consecutive titles.

After winning 10 races that season, Verstappen was even more of a force last season, winning 15 races en route to his second straight title.

Since 1950, Verstappen is only the fifth different driver to have won three or more F1 points titles in a row, joining Juan Manuel Fangio, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel and Hamilton.

Although Verstappen has already clinched his title, there are still six grand prix races remaining on the 2023 F1 schedule.

The Qatar Grand Prix will take place Sunday at the Lusail International Circuit in Lusail, Qatar, followed by races in the United States, Mexico, Brazil and Abu Dhabi.

A worker helping to prepare for Formula 1's Las Vegas Grand Prix died after suffering a "major laceration" to his neck, according to authorities (h/t Meredith Deliso of ABC News ).

It is unclear how the man suffered the fatal injury. Authorities were called to the Bellagio Fountains at 11:30 a.m. PT on Saturday and the man was transported to a local hospital, where he died.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the death.

The race, which will take place on Nov. 18, will go through the Las Vegas Strip, where many of the city's most famous casinos and landmarks are located.

The race will feature a 3.8-mile track in total.

Construction is currently underway in Las Vegas for the event.