{"id":297508,"date":"2023-11-17T11:24:19","date_gmt":"2023-11-17T11:24:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports-life-news.com\/?p=297508"},"modified":"2023-11-17T11:24:19","modified_gmt":"2023-11-17T11:24:19","slug":"f1-teams-react-to-las-vegas-grand-prix-delays-after-cancelled-practice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports-life-news.com\/racing\/f1\/f1-teams-react-to-las-vegas-grand-prix-delays-after-cancelled-practice\/","title":{"rendered":"F1 teams react to Las Vegas Grand Prix delays after cancelled practice"},"content":{"rendered":"
Formula One drivers and teams have been forced to keep themselves occupied as second practice at the Las Vegas Grand Prix was pushed back into the night.<\/p>\n
The return of F1 to Sin City for the first time in 41 years has endured a nightmare start after a\u00a0loose drain cover forced the first practice to be cancelled.<\/p>\n
The issue already caused damage to the cars of Esteban Ocon and Carlos Sainz.<\/p>\n
Practice was scrapped\u00a0after just eight minutes when Sainz’s Ferrari whizzed past the area in question and sparks started flying from his left rear tyre. Ocon’s Alpine was then significantly affected.<\/p>\n
Officials then announced plans for second practice to take place at 2am local time (10am GMT), before further delays saw the start time pushed back to\u00a02.30am.<\/p>\n
The growing frustration was expressed by teams on social media, with Williams Racing posting a photo of a weary looking Logan Sargeant lying down amid the delays.<\/p>\n
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The second practice at the F1 Grand Prix in Las Vegas was delayed until 2.30am<\/p>\n
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Williams showed the frustration of Logan Sargeant and\u00a0Alexander Albon amid the delays<\/p>\n
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The Williams social media team engaged with Alpine’s offer of a game of Tic Tac Toe<\/p>\n
A second photo of\u00a0Alexander Albon was posted with a wide-eyed filter, featuring the caption ‘Delays delays = Eye bag game strong’.<\/p>\n
Williams’ posts continued after being invited to start a game of\u00a0Tic Tac Toe by Alpine F1.<\/p>\n
Games were also taking place in the Alfa Romeo garage as they waited to get back on track.<\/p>\n
Members of the crew were recorded playing in a makeshift casino, with the post featuring the caption ‘The crew in the garage is embracing the Vegas spirit’ in a nod to city’s famed love-affair with casinos and gambling.<\/p>\n
Mercedes took the opportunity caused by the delays to produce sponsored content, sharing a photo of cans of Monster Energy drinks.<\/p>\n
‘We\u2019ve moved onto the strong stuff,’ Mercedes wrote.<\/p>\n
The delays were best summed up by a clip posted by Alpine, with\u00a0Ocon replying that he felt ‘drained’ when asked how he was feeling.<\/p>\n
Racing driver and television presenter\u00a0Karun Chandhok, speaking on F1 commentary, said teams will have worked closely to help their drivers amid the delays.<\/p>\n
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Mercedes took the opportunity to promote energy drink sponsor Monster in the early hours<\/p>\n
‘The drivers need to manage their energy. They need to make sure they are going to peak during qualifying and the race. Hopefully they have had a a nap,’\u00a0Chandhok said.<\/p>\n
‘They have rooms where they can go and get some sleep. It will be the job of the physios to make sure they don’t give them too much to do.’<\/p>\n
Jenson Button, the 2009 world champion, insisted drivers would be excited to race once the delays were over.<\/p>\n
‘As soon as the drivers get in the car they will be excited, waiting around is never great, Button said.<\/p>\n
‘They will be tired but as soon as they get their helmet on they will be excited about seeing the track and what they can do.’<\/p>\n