FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN SILVER LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX 2023....Practice 1-2-3.... ▄▀▄▀▄▀ SPOILERS ▄▀▄▀▄▀

I've always found it maddening the last decade how F1 can be so incredibly out of touch. Everything they do they get 90% there and then ef it all up for the most stupid of reasons. I keep thinking that these people cannot be dumb, yet... they can't seem to make the correct choices and decisions that most of us keyboard champions see as pure common sense. Are they dumb... are they just too far removed to be effective... or are there just forces in play that we're not aware of. Whether it's changing qualifying and race results days after they're over to the stupid decisions about the cars, to make a debacle out of the races... it just makes no sense.

 

hahah Horner giving the bird on pit lane

 

they're not racers, they're business people.

The only business they don't know is which end of a tool is the business end....

sjd

 

Agree, I was very disappointed. I more enjoy the scenes of the casinos than the track.

 

It wouldn’t be nothing if it was his car! Toto can **** right off!

 

We had that conversation before, if you remember.
Circuits in town may provide all the amenities people want to enjoy nowadays (airport, choice of accommodations, entertainment), but as a racing tracks they compromise too much to safety, the buildings and street furniture already in place, etc to provide interesting layouts.
Most street circuits are shrouded in guardrails and catch-fencing, looking like tunnels with hardly any feature.
Apart from Monaco, they have someting in common: most don't last the test of time.

 

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I just watched the press conference. I repeat my comment #325.

 

Just waking up . …BS !!,BS !! BS !!


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Nope. I’ve seen a dik-dik. They’re a lot cuter.
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If LH had hit that cover he'd star in a movie about adversity.

 

Some truth to that but then look at Baku. That circuit has everything: High speed WIDE zone like Monza and the tight section through the charming old town like Monaco.

Part of the lack of atmosphere is the night race. Las Vegas looks so much better during the day or at night when they turn on the lights, which now they can't fully due to not blinding the drivers.

 

We all know that if the drain cover had exploded under Ham's car, he and Toto would be calling it the greatest travesty in racing if the FIA screwed them like is being done to Ferrari right now.

He's so transparent about it being all for the P2 standing. Fred should take notice of this, and remember it.

 

Fred should have called BS on Toto, the FIA and this debacle of a race.

 

I think I saw you from across street walking towards resorts world at about 12:45 wearing red hat?

 

The difference between the constructors payout between 2nd (currently Merc) and 3rd (currently Ferrari is 9m with Ferrari 20 points behind, so it is not surprising that Toto would be dismissing Ferraris concerns and vetoing a battery or engine replacement dispensation.

so far Las Vegas is a complete CF as an event. While it might turn out better than Las Vegas of the early 80’s or Indy 2005, it is looking like it could fall into that category.

 

I was glad to see Fred express some outrage at the situation, as opposed to Binotto, who would've just stared at the camera.

 

I apologize to the dik-dik community but wish to point out that they are distinct from the Dikdik.

 

Yep. That was me. I was listening to music if you tried to yell at me.

 

I have no idea why they decided to schedule the race so late in the day at this time of the year.
In the Middle East, they do it because of the heat, like in Singapore, but in November at Las Vegas ?
They should look after the spectators first, before the TV viewers . It looks they did the opposite.

 

It's the new age of F1..

..some of us will look back and talk about the "liberty era"...

sjd

 

I'm a strong support of Toto, he's an excellent team manager who has helped shaped one of the most successful teams this century. But here I agree with the torch and pitchfork crowd. He's totally out of line. Sainz/Ferrari should get zero penalties, and further if the manhole covers weren't secured as specified, then the track should also foot the bill with no impact on the team budget cap.

 

both "bless the rains down in Africa", though...

 

Really glad to. It's almost a shame that Ferrari has fantastic pace here because pulling out of the event in protest would be a massive own goal.

Leclerc looks like a serious candidate to win here.

 

So, here are my thoughts. And I'll try to be non-biased. There's some good, and some bad.

The bad: Communication is poor. Even getting into the venue was more pain than I wanted. There was no indication when the venue gates would be open. The system of security was good but slow. And I had to ask people how to get in which IMO, shouldn't be the case. The App told me the entrance, but not how to get there. The App is really useful but the communication of what was going on using it was poor. I stood in a hot area of The Sphere hallway with hundreds of others just waiting for the gates to open. No communication at all when that would be, even on the App. Still people just accepted it. No one complained that I saw.

Ok, what can you say about the water cover problem? It shouldn't have happened and when it did, the organizers pretty much went out to lunch in communication. Someone on the PA telling us what was going on would have been really helpful. And waiting until midnight to tell us the event was cancelled was IMO, a Hail Mary pass to get the track fixed that failed. It never should have happened but it seems like they fixed it.

The good: Actually the facilities, the food, the restrooms, and the excitement of the place is really good. Aside from the race issue, people before and after were having a really good time in my section. . The food was pretty easy to get and surprisingly better than most "track food" I've had at other venues. Aside from the lines (which moved pretty quickly), the staff was friendly and just handed out everything systematically without drama. 2 live music sessions were fun and a lot of people where having a great time. After these 2 events to fill time was a DJ but it wasn't nearly as entertaining as the practice would be. And there was a lot of people there which surprised me for just practice. A lot of them stuck around until midnight but about 1/2 left after the concerts I'm guessing.

The OK. I have TV screens viewable from my seats but it would be better if they were larger or faced my section better. OK, about what I expected but could be better. They did show video of the racing with the Sky announcers but it was so short, its hard to tell what they will do in the next 2 days. The PA of the music was good but they had a bad delay for about 20 minutes for the concerts. It did get colder as the night wore on. I'm going to wear one more layer tonight. If it should rain somehow it could be really cold.

If the water cover didn't happen, I think everyone would have thought they had a good time. But the delay, the let downs of changing the time, the lack of communication on what was going on made it seem disorganized and even inept. The Track workers did their jobs. I just wonder if the FAI or whoever approves the track did theirs and WHY this wasn't addressed long before last night. Someone has to answer for this. It is "unacceptable".

I think they have to deliver tonight on the Quali. If that goes well it might be "all sins forgiven". Honestly I didn't hear one person on the way out complaining or booing. We all just shuffled off.