F1 fans file class action lawsuit over being forced out of Las Vegas Grand Prix, while some locals are frustrated

Formula 1 fans, angry at being forced to leave the Las Vegas Grand Prix venue early Friday morning before the start of the second practice session, have filed a class action lawsuit.

Las Vegas-based Dimopoulos Law Firm and co-counsel JK Legal & Consulting have filed a lawsuit against the Las Vegas Grand Prix and its owner, Liberty Media, in Nevada state court , seeking at least $30,000 in damages.

Those who purchased tickets for the opening night of the race I only saw nine minutes of action Thursday night, before Carlos Sainz Jr. smashed the lid of a water faucet and damaged his Ferrari. Race officials inspected the course, leading to a 2 1/2 hour delay for the second session, which started at 2:30 a.m. local time on Friday. They also extended the workout from one hour to 90 minutes.

Race officials have since offered a $200 discount at the official gift shop, but only to those with single-night tickets on Thursday. The majority of fans have three-day passes.

F1 president Stefano Domenicali and Las Vegas Grand Prix CEO Renee Wilm issued a statement Friday saying they were closing the track to spectators for safety and legal reasons.

“We have all attended events, such as concerts, matches and even other Formula 1 races, which were canceled due to factors such as weather or technical problems,” the statement said. “It happens and we hope people understand.”

F1 took a big gamble on the $500 million race, whose costs included repaving roads, building fences and promotion. The nearly 6 km long trail runs past the famous landmarks of Sin City.

Part of what makes the Las Vegas Grand Prix unique is that it takes place on city streets, and the loss of those streets has frustrated some residents.

Wade Bohn told CBS News the course construction was blocking visitors to his 24-hour convenience store.

“We didn’t need F1,” Bohn told CBS News.

He said he had to lay off half his staff and lost about 80% of his business.

“I mean, we’re alone on an island, drowning,” Bohn said. “If they make this bridge permanent, I’m done, because there’s no traffic,” Bohn said of the 760-foot Flamingo Road bridge, which was built for racing but has recently been opened to general circulation when not in use for racing. great prize.

It’s unclear whether the bridge will become permanent or if it will be taken down once the race ends this year, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

F1 currently has a three-year contract with the city for the grand prix, with the option to extend it for another seven years thereafter.

“I hope F1 learns a lot from this first year and fixes a lot of things so that next year and the years to come will be smoother,” Las Vegas resident Jeff Toco told CBS News .

— Elizabeth Campbell contributed to this report.