One of the most memorable moments of the inaugural Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend didn’t happen during the race or even qualifying.
It came in the first practice session of the weekend, when then-Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz hit a drain cover, causing serious damage to his car’s floor and energy store, while also damaging then-Alpine driver Esteban Ocon’s car.
The session was red-flagged and eventually canceled, delaying the second practice session by hours as crews worked to repair the circuit and ensure the other drain covers were secure.
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This delay led to thousands of fans leaving before the next session could get underway.
So, not long after, attorney Steve Dimopoulos filed a class action lawsuit saying that attempts to make good on the situation were not enough.
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According to The Las Vegas Review Journal, court documents revealed that a federal judge agreed and gave preliminary approval for a settlement with LVGP and its parent company Liberty Media Corp. of just over $3 million, which is slated to get final approval in November.
“The settlement establishes a $3.05 million common fund for holders of approximately 32,000 eligible tickets,” Dimopoulos said in a statement to The New York Post. “Individual payments will vary depending on ticket type, participation rates, attorney’s fees, costs and administrative expenses.”
Of course, the amount of money each person gets will depend on how many claimants there are. But you do the math: if all 32,000 eligible folks decide they want in, it would leave you with enough to buy a hat at the next Las Vegas GP if you’re lucky.
One of the cheap hats.
Fortunately, the race went off without a hitch in the three years that it has been held. It’s now set to be a part of the F1 schedule through 2037.
The drain incident caused further controversy in 2023 when the damage caused to Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari required a new engine, resulting in a ten-place grid penalty. That came as the Scuderia was in a tight battle with Mercedes for second place in the championship standings.
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