Las Vegas Grand Prix practice interrupted for track repairs

Charles Leclerc posted the fastest time in the brief first practice session at the Las Vegas Grand Prix this morning, which included just eight minutes of racing before it was halted for track repairs. In the first test of the course along the transformed Strip, a faulty manhole cover damaged Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari. The car ultimately left the course on the back of a truck but the Spaniard appeared uninjured.

Alpine said Esteban Ocon’s chassis would also need to be repairs due to damage from the manhole cover.

Leclerc led the time sheet with a lap of 1:40.909, followed by the Haas duo of Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen.

FIA said it would need to check all of the other manhole covers along the 6 kilometer course, a potentially time consuming process.

Shortly before the first practise session, Sainz was excited to drive the new course…