Las Vegas manhole scare returns, FIA moves fast with overnight fix after FP2 red flags
Las Vegas’ street circuit bit back on Thursday, and not for the first time. Free Practice 2 was halted twice after a marshal spotted a manhole cover shifting on the approach to Turn 17, forcing race control to throw a pair of late red flags and ultimately end the session early.
The FIA moved quickly in response. The offending cover was stripped down and inspected, with a “specific fault” identified in its closure mechanism. By nightfall, the federation said the issue had been rectified and the cover itself welded shut as an extra layer of protection. Every other cover on or close to the racing line was rechecked, with a further 14 assemblies also receiving additional welding as a precaution.
It was an alert marshal who first caught the movement late in FP2, triggering the initial stoppage. After a brief inspection, running resumed under close watch from circuit staff, only for the same spot to raise concern again. The second red flag fell within minutes, ending the session and prompting a short delay to F1 Academy qualifying that followed.
In a statement, the FIA explained the sequence and its remedy: the manhole was disassembled and inspected, the fault traced to the closure system, and a fix implemented overnight. On top of that, the cover was welded, and extra welding was applied to 14 more units following a sweep of the circuit.
If it all sounds uncomfortably familiar, that’s because it is. Vegas had a bruising debut back in 2023 when a loose cover destroyed the underside of Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari and stopped FP1 after only seven minutes. That incident forced an energy store change and a 10-place grid penalty, souring what should’ve been a glittering launch weekend on the Strip. Two years on, we’re not at that level of chaos—no cars were damaged this time—but the optics aren’t ideal for a grand prix that trades heavily on spectacle.
Street circuits come with infrastructure risks—drainage, utilities, access points—that purpose-built venues simply don’t. The best mitigation is vigilance and overkill. To their credit, the FIA’s language suggests both were applied: identify the weak point, fix it, then over-secure everything nearby. Welding covers isn’t pretty, but it’s decisive.
The bigger concern is confidence. Drivers need to trust that what’s under their wheels won’t change lap to lap, especially on a quick, low-grip layout like Vegas where braking events are violent and kerbs are tempting. The late stoppage robbed teams of long-run data and compromised FP2 programs, but that’s a secondary issue. Safety—and the assurance of it—comes first.
The hope now is that the overnight work will close the chapter before FP3 and qualifying. Extra welding and a clean bill of health across the racing line should do the trick. It has to. Vegas thrives on theatre, not déjà vu.
As for Thursday’s interruption, it’ll be remembered as a near-miss handled briskly. The marshal saw it, the FIA stopped it, and the fix went in before dawn. That’s the standard when street furniture tries to steal the show.
