In the long-awaited lull before the second free practice on the 2023 Las Vegas street circuit, Peter Windsor assesses the man-hole dramas of FP1 and the factors surrounding this event. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has been outspoken in his views – and Mercedes’ Toto Wolff has dismissed the track issues as something that will be forgotten by the weekend. Ferrari and Alpine, both of whom lost chassis in the opening minutes of FP1, obviously have different views – and it’s also clear that Carlos could have been injured in the incident. Fortunately, he escaped unharmed – which, as Peter points out in this video, was not the case in a previous, similar incident.
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23 Comments
Small quibble: Jeddah has more corners than any other track and is a favorite of both fans and drivers.
That said, I love Peter’s overall statement here, especially about the thoughtlessness of ‘bigger/more is better’
Didn't we allready create a modern amalgam of the greatest circuits with the Circuit of the Americas? That was how I remember it being described at the time of its creation.
Your absolutely right about how "the show" things demean and cheapen the brand. Less is more.
Anyone who thinks Vegas or Miami are going to be around in 5 years is just ignoring American MOTORSPORT history. American MOTORSPORT fans are indifferent to F1, if the on track racing is good we'll watch and attend. If on track is boring we still have a very competitive INDYCAR series where you can actually SEE the track. The folks attending "the parties" at Vegas and Miami and driving TV ratings are not MOTORSPORT fans. They are attending a pop culture event. They are fans of NETFLIX's Drive to Survive. Max is 100% correct in saying these folks are here for the party, not the sport. AND as soon as the next shiny new thing appears in American pop culture they'll be gone.
This has happened before in American Motorsport. NASCAR ratings and attendance climbed starting in the mid 90's as it's prominence in American pop culture grew. Since it's significance in pop culture declined around 2010 so have the ratings and attendance, at times ratings dipping to only 25% of it's peak. This WILL HAPPEN TO F1 !!
American's interest in all MOTORSPORTS is waning across the board. Unfortunately track attendance and TV ratings show this very clearly. I don't know why and millions are spent researching why, but I'm 100% positive F1is not going to reverse the trend, it's going to be a victim of it.
F1 has lost me as a Fan (since 1976)
Given up sky and Feel it is just a Circus
Far to many races and sprints
And don’t even get me started on Regulations
Vegas reminded me of a formulaE race 😂
For a sport that seems to live and breath on making fun if IndyCar, F1 sure has gone to great lengths to race on an IndyCar style street circuit, whenever I see a drawing of the LVGP layout I have to remind myself that it's actually a circuit for F1 and not indy.
IndyCar can get away with street circuits with slower corners and long straights because they're slower in the corners and fast down the straights, whereas with F1 that philosophy of circuit design is a lot more dangerous due to the cornering speeds being way higher, just look at Lando's crash in the first third of the race.
If F1 really wants to grow in the US I see no reason why IndyCar and F1 cant come together to design a street circuit that suits both their needs, fits their safety profiles & then have one series race there on week and the other the next week, not only would it increase exposure to potential fans, the current fans would probably get a better circuit to watch better racing and we wouldn't be having all of these obnoxious issues.
Despite how good the race was, over takes were really only happening on the final drs back straight, sure there was a lot of action but it was everyone going for the same move in the exact same part of the track, reminded me of China 2016 where in paper it has the most overtakes in a race but it was rather dull, without Perez and Leclerc's final lap p2 street fight I think people would've held the Las vegas grand prix in a much lower regard.
Windsor wants parade racing no risk no overtaking I'm so glad F1is ultimately doomed and can't come to soon zzzzzzzzzzzzzz boring boring give them pedal cars so they don't hurt themselves ,wake me up before u Gogo.
agree with (and max) you 100% on all of this, this risk is that f1 is turning into a circus. think how f1 drivers sit right on the top the the floor of their car, sainz could have been injured if that obstruction was a little higher. additionally, the fact that there is no process to 'override' the grid penalties by an obvious track imperfection is just stupid.
the wealthy ruin every thing sooner or later!
If F1 is now purely entertainment – and sport a thing of the past – there's an easy way to fix all of the issues of today: decide upon and write a script, hire a directorial crew from Hollywood, and have Liberty produce a yearly "reality" show. Sorted.
Can't stand all the pomp, glitter, and politics myself; I just want to see clean, hard racing. Sport, in other words – which I'm afraid it's becoming an endangered species (not only in F1) in 2023.
Louder Please!
It wasn’t a manhole cover, which is much larger. It was a cover to a water valve. But your point remains. Someone should have scrutinized the potential danger dozens of these might have caused to an F1 car, and street circuits should be banned anyway.
I am 100% behind you.
Well said, Peter. Toto, Lewis, and others, are more bothered about the business than the racing these days, when they're not winning. Corporate greed and the money taking over, same as everywhere else in the 21st century.
Spot on… both Peter and Max.
Because it's Las Vegas, they made it a show with a race, instead of a race with a show.
You need to write an expose. I mean, they already hate you, give us the dirt! Nice job Mr. Windsor, agree 100%
The race in Vegas was a JOKE1
I do not care less for F1 go to the US. The US is still not ready for it and probably never will. What would Toto have said if he lost his Mercedes on a cover.
grow grow grow, look at the DTM, did grow until it did go boom…
Creating elevation in the desert would have been very difficult.
Peter, the video I watched was a road drain; not a manhole cover. Looked like 4 to 6 inch opening.
A week on i wonder if you feel the same peter…