Las Vegas F1 Lawsuit Settled
Liberty Media Agrees to $3 Million Settlement in Las Vegas Grand Prix Spectator Lawsuit
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Formula 1 parent company Liberty Media has agreed to a $3 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit filed by fans of the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix, according to AP News. The deal resolves claims tied to a chaotic opening night that left thousands of ticketholders locked out of viewing areas.
The trouble started on Nov. 16, 2023, when Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz Jr. ran over a loose water valve cover during the first practice session. The damage to his car was so severe that officials stopped the session and cleared fans from their seats — before the 90-minute session ever really began, The Score reported.
A Water Valve Cover Derailed F1's Vegas Debut
The 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix was supposed to be Formula 1's big American moment. The race cost $500 million to produce and was built around the glitz of the Las Vegas Strip. Instead, the opening night became a PR disaster, AP News reported.
When Sainz drove over the loose water valve cover, it tore a large hole in the floor of his Ferrari. The damage ended his practice run and triggered a lengthy delay. Fans who had paid top dollar for tickets were removed from grandstands and viewing areas before the session resumed, according to Winnipeg Free Press.
Fans Filed Suit After Being Turned Away Opening Night
Spectators filed a class-action lawsuit arguing they were cheated out of what they paid for. Many had spent thousands on tickets and travel to see opening-night practice on the Strip. Instead, they were escorted away and missed most of the session, The Score reported.
The lawsuit targeted Liberty Media, the American company that owns and operates Formula 1. Plaintiffs argued the company failed to properly secure the track before letting cars — and paying fans — onto the circuit, according to WTOP.
$3 Million Deal Closes the Case — Without Admitting Fault
Liberty Media agreed to pay $3 million to settle the claims. The company did not admit any wrongdoing as part of the deal, AP News reported. That kind of no-fault settlement is common in class-action cases, where companies pay to avoid a costly trial.
A federal judge still needs to sign off on the agreement. A final approval hearing is set for Nov. 4 at the U.S. District Court of Nevada, according to Houston Chronicle. Until then, the settlement is not official.
Las Vegas GP Has Since Bounced Back on the F1 Calendar
Despite the rough start, the Las Vegas Grand Prix returned in 2024 and remains a fixture on the Formula 1 schedule. The race runs through the heart of the Strip and past iconic casino hotels. F1 has pushed it as one of its marquee events in the United States, The Score reported.
The $3 million payout is a small number compared to the $500 million cost of staging the first race. But the settlement closes a legal chapter that has followed Liberty Media since that chaotic opening night nearly two years ago, according to Idaho State Journal.
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