Esteban Ocon Expresses Disappointment Over Las Vegas GP Fan Evacuation After FP1 Cancellation

In a recent turn of events at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Alpine driver Esteban Ocon expressed his dissatisfaction with the handling of fans during the cancelled FP1 session. Ocon emphasized the disappointment of fans who experienced minimal track action before being evacuated.

Key Takeaways:

• FP1 Session Cancellation: The Free Practice 1 (FP1) session at the Las Vegas Grand Prix was abruptly cancelled due to Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari striking a loose drain cover. This incident led to substantial delays and eventual cancellation of the session.
• Fan Disappointment and Evacuation: Fans, who had been eagerly awaiting the race, faced hours of delay only to be asked to leave before the second practice session (FP2) began. Esteban Ocon expressed his sympathy for the fans, acknowledging their frustration over the lack of track action.
• Ricciardo’s Sympathy for Fans: AlphaTauri driver Daniel Ricciardo also shared his sympathy for the fans, acknowledging the unfortunate situation while trying to maintain a positive outlook. He emphasized the challenges of organizing the event and the efforts made to manage the situation.

Esteban Ocon, speaking to the media, didn’t hide his disappointment over the way fans were treated at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. After a highly anticipated but cancelled FP1 session, fans witnessed just eight minutes of track action before being asked to leave the venue. Ocon, deeply empathetic towards the fans, stated, “Obviously I’m feeling sorry for the fans out there. Hopefully we’ll catch back up on the show and have some good show for them tomorrow because they haven’t seen a car run today and that is obviously not acceptable.”

The cancellation was triggered by an incident involving Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari, which struck a loose drain cover. This led to the delay of the FP2 session as the circuit underwent necessary repairs and a thorough inspection. Fans, who had waited for hours in hope of racing action, were left disappointed.

Ocon himself was involved in the drain hole incident, with his car suffering damage. Reflecting on the day’s events, he remarked, “I was lucky that the session got delayed because my car was very damaged in FP1. So a bit of a crazy-emotion day, I would say. Luckily I’m fine, as well, because it could have easily come through the car, the object.”

Adding to Ocon’s sentiments, AlphaTauri driver Daniel Ricciardo also expressed his sympathy for the fans. Ricciardo acknowledged the disappointment but sought to remain positive, noting the challenges in organizing such a massive event. He said, “The grandstand situation, obviously that’s a bummer… But I also don’t want to shit on the sport. It’s the first time here, it’s a massive project and things unfortunately happened. I know no one wanted them to, but I guess they did the best they could with what they had.”

This incident at the Las Vegas Grand Prix highlights the challenges faced in organizing large-scale sporting events and the impact such unforeseen situations can have on fans. Despite the disappointment, the expressions of sympathy and understanding from drivers like Esteban Ocon and Daniel Ricciardo show a recognition of the fans’ importance to the sport.