[Full Video] Ferrari's Sainz survives scary manhole cover incident in Las Vegas practice - VK Virals

Carlos Sainz was lucky to escape injury after his Ferrari hit a loose manhole cover on the Las Vegas Strip during the first practice session for the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix. The incident caused sparks to fly and damaged his car. Read more about the incident and the race here.

Sainz escapes injury after hitting loose manhole cover in Las Vegas

Carlos Sainz was lucky to escape injury after his Ferrari hit a loose manhole cover on the Las Vegas Strip during the first practice session for the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix.

The incident happened on the second lap of the session, when Sainz was approaching the famous Bellagio hotel and casino. As he drove over a manhole cover, it came loose and flew up, hitting the front wing and the floor of his SF-23. The impact caused sparks to fly and damaged the aerodynamics of his car.

Sainz managed to bring his car back to the pits, where the Ferrari mechanics inspected the damage and replaced the front wing. The session was red-flagged for 15 minutes while the marshals secured the manhole cover and cleared the debris from the track.

Sainz was not injured in the incident, but he was visibly frustrated by the loss of track time and the potential impact on his performance. He told the media after the session:

"It was a very unlucky situation. I was just following the normal racing line and suddenly I felt a big hit on the front of the car. I saw sparks and I knew something was wrong. I was lucky that the manhole cover did not hit me or the tyres, because it could have been much worse. It's not what you expect to happen on a street circuit, especially on a new one. I hope they can fix it for the rest of the weekend."

Sainz was not the only driver to encounter problems on the Las Vegas Strip, which is hosting its first F1 race since 1984. The 3.4 km circuit, which runs along the famous boulevard and features 19 turns, proved to be challenging and slippery for the drivers, who had to cope with bumps, dust, and changing light conditions.

Several drivers spun, locked up, or ran wide during the session, including Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo, and Sergio Perez. The session was also interrupted by a virtual safety car after Nikita Mazepin crashed his Haas into the barriers at Turn 16.

The second practice session will take place later on Thursday, followed by the third practice and qualifying sessions on Friday. The Las Vegas Grand Prix, which is the 20th round of the 2023 F1 season, will start on Saturday at 18:00 local time (02:00 GMT on Sunday).

The race is expected to attract a huge crowd of fans and celebrities, as well as generate over $1.3 billion for the city¹. Ferrari, who are currently third in the constructors' championship, have unveiled a stunning red-and-white livery for the occasion, inspired by their historic cars from the 1970s.

Conclusion:

The first practice session for the Las Vegas Grand Prix was marred by a bizarre and dangerous incident involving Carlos Sainz and a loose manhole cover. The Ferrari driver was fortunate to escape injury and return to the track, but he will be hoping for a smoother and faster weekend in the city of lights. The Las Vegas Grand Prix promises to be a spectacular and thrilling event, as the F1 drivers take on the challenging and slippery street circuit along the iconic Las Vegas Strip.