Controversies in the first historic weekend in Las Vegas, as Formula 1 returns after forty years, seem to never end. Following the chaos on Friday, which led to the cancellation of the first free practice session and a delay of 2 hours and 30 minutes for the start of FP2, even the post-race period had surprises in store. Once again, the fans were the protagonists, ensuring they could watch the Grand Prix without purchasing tickets.
Fans tearing down the blackout panels to be able to watch the Las Vegas GP.
Even before the start of the weekend, Las Vegas residents had already protested against the organization of the Grand Prix, citing an incident similar to what happened during the race.
To prevent passersby from having a view of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, organizers had applied films to a pedestrian bridge overlooking the famous Sphere. These films were torn down by the residents who publicly denounced the incident. The protest did not have significant effects, as metal fences were placed near the torn films.
The same occurred today during the race, with a group of non-paying fans tearing down the blackout panels on the sides of the strip in the area of the Planet Hollywood casino. The circuit staff reportedly tried to repair the barriers but without success.
All of this happened after another dispute between the organizers and the circuit, resulting in the police evacuating the audience about an hour before the start of FP2 for logistical reasons.
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Formula 1 offered $200 in merchandise vouchers as compensation for the inconveniences caused, sparking further controversies. After the track invasions in Australia and Brazil, the FIA will likely have to address fan-related issues to prevent incidents in the upcoming Grand Prix events.
Source: f1ingenerale
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