Second Red Flag in Vegas FP2 Amid Leclerc Failure, Drain Cover Confusion

A chaotic second practice session for the Las Vegas Grand Prix was cut short by a costly second red flag, just moments after an initial stoppage. Charles Leclerc's Ferrari suffered a gearbox failure, but suspicions quickly mounted that a familiar culprit—a loose drain cover—was the real reason for the session's premature end.

Why it matters:

The Las Vegas Grand Prix's highly anticipated return to the F1 calendar has been marred by organizational issues right from the start of its first full practice session. Two red flags, particularly the controversial second one, deprived teams of crucial soft tire runs, impacting their preparation for the inaugural race on this brand-new street circuit. This further amplifies concerns about the track's readiness and the FIA's handling of the event.

The details:

• The first red flag occurred with 20 minutes left in FP2 after a marshal reported a loose drain cover. While the FIA initially deemed it safe after inspection, the incident raised early questions about track integrity.
• The session briefly resumed with approximately five minutes remaining, but was almost immediately red-flagged again.
• Charles Leclerc's Incident: Leclerc brought his Ferrari SF-25 to a halt at Turn 5, reporting a gearbox issue. He safely parked his car behind a barrier.
• Confusion Around Second Red Flag: The red flag was shown several seconds after Leclerc stopped, leading to initial confusion as to whether his gearbox issue was the sole cause.
• Drain Cover Suspicions Confirmed: Five minutes after FP2 concluded, the FIA confirmed that race control personnel, who remained on site after the first drain cover inspection, reported the same manhole cover was moving as cars passed over it. This led to the session being permanently ended.
• The early termination of FP2 meant most teams missed their critical soft tire runs, which are essential for understanding qualifying pace and race simulation on a rapidly evolving street circuit.

The big picture:

This incident is a significant blow to the highly anticipated Las Vegas Grand Prix, raising concerns about safety and track readiness. For a sport that prides itself on precision and meticulous planning, these organizational stumbles in a marquee event are unwelcome. Teams will now go into Saturday's qualifying and race with less data than usual, potentially leading to a more unpredictable, but also potentially more challenging, race weekend.

What's next:

Further inspections of the drain cover are underway, with the FIA needing to provide assurances of track safety before any further sessions can commence. Teams will have to adapt their strategies based on limited practice data. All eyes will be on the organizers to ensure a smooth and incident-free remainder of the race weekend.