Las Vegas Grand Prix is facing a class action lawsuit over the fans’ removal off the circuit prior to the postponed Friday night’s FP2 session.
A Las Vegas law firm has filed a class action lawsuit against the Las Vegas Grand Prix following the cancellation of the first practice for the Formula 1 event and the resulting ejection of 35,000 spectators from the circuit.
First practice on Thursday was called off after just nine minutes in after Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari struck and knocked off a manhole cover, seriously damaging the Spaniard’s SF-23.
After Las Vegas GP maintenance personnel checked the remaining manholes and water valve covers around the track, the session was ultimately called off.
The second practice was originally scheduled to begin at midnight local time, but it was postponed until 2:30 am in order to give the track time to undergo inspection.
Before FP2 started, unionized security personnel at the track wrapped up their shift. It was decided to close all public areas, including the grandstands, and send spectators home during the session because no staff was available to assist with security or logistics in the public areas of the track.
The grandstands around the circuit were deserted once FP2 got underway, with spectators shelling out upwards of $200 for tickets and thousands more for F1 packages. This eventually lead to a public uproar.
In the past 24 hours, F1 and the Las Vegas Grand Prix organizer issued multiple statements outlining the situation; however, the correspondence did not include an official apology to the fans.
Now, the Las Vegas Grand Prix and its owner, Liberty Media, are the targets of a lawsuit filed at Nevada state court by the Dimopoulos Law Firm and co-counsel JK Legal & Consulting, which demands at least $30,000 in damage payments.
In response to the public outcry, fans holding Thursday-only tickets have been given the opportunity to redeem a $200 gift card at the official Las Vegas Grand Prix gift shop.
The lawsuit includes TAB Contractors, Inc. and Liberty Media Corporation, doing business as Formula One Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix, as defendants.
The defendants are accused of negligence, deceptive trade practices and breach of contract.
“There are a number of issues with that [compensation],” Steve Dimopoulos told Reuters on Saturday. “Clearly that [$200 merchandise voucher] is not a refund that is sufficient.
“A lot of fans probably don’t even want that, they want their money back.
“There are also peripheral issues of what about the people that came in from out of town and paid for substantial air fare and hotels.”
Formula 1 has not responded to the lawsuit and has refused to make any comments regarding the issue.
