A class action lawsuit has been filed against the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix in relation to fans being forced to leave Thursday’s practice session after an hourslong delay.

Dimopoulos Law Firm and co-counsel JK Legal & Consulting filed the suit Friday in Nevada District Court on behalf of 35,000 fans who purchased tickets to Thursday’s practice run, the legal firms announced Saturday.

Just nine minutes after Thursday’s’s practice session began, a water valve cover came loose and damaged multiple F1 drivers’ vehicles. That led to a 2 ½ hour delay, with a 90-minute second practice session beginning at 2:30 a.m. Friday.

Fans were forced by police and security officers to leave at 1:30 a.m. Friday and weren’t able to watch the session.

The defendants named in the lawsuit are Liberty Media Corporation, doing business as Formula One Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix and TAB Contractors, Inc. The lawsuit alleges breach of contract, negligence and deceptive trade practices against the defendants.

“We will vindicate the rights of the fans that traveled great distances and paid small fortunes to attend, but were deprived of the experience,” Dimopoulos Law Firm owner and lead attorney Steve Dimopoulos said in a statement.

  • @[email protected]
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    -247 months ago

    This race is absolutely crafted for Asia and Middle East audiences. No one in Europe will wake up on a Sunday at u am for this race if you have a dvr or replay service from your provider.
    People In the US can literally ignore this as there’s zero drama on who will win the season nor a glimpse of non dominance.
    Meh even the circuit looks like an upside down pig.

    • JJROKCZ
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      357 months ago

      I really get tired of Europeans whining about a handful of morning (not even that early) races when vast portions of the world have to deal with the inconvenient times of the European races.

      Suck it up, if you don’t want to wake up then don’t. I wake up for 6am races most of the calendar

      • @[email protected]
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        57 months ago

        I’d take a 6am race over a 1am race

        They could’ve had the race at like 7pm local time and it would still be a night race

      • @[email protected]OP
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        17 months ago

        I really don’t get whats so bad about a 6AM race, if I did watch the races live I’d actually be more likely to be able to watch one at 6AM rather than in the middle of the day.

          • JCPhoenix
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            27 months ago

            Bernie, you’re using the wrong drugs.

            Or just wake up at 6am and then get ecclestoned.

          • JJROKCZ
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            17 months ago

            Go to sleep early, wake up at 6 with a coffee and breakfast. When I wake up early for races 18+ times a year that’s what I do. Then when the race is done get on with the Sunday cleaning like normal sundays

    • @evanuggetpi
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      117 months ago

      Everyone complaining about the start time, here in NZ it’s actually one of the very few races I can watch live. 7pm Sunday evening? Why yes, thank you.

      Still, it’s bizarre for practice sessions to be held in the middle of the night local time.

      • @[email protected]
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        17 months ago

        The track is built on public roads and it opens at 4am for commuters and services that need it.

        Also the Las Vegas strip is open most of the day IIRC.

        Basically the early morning hours are about the only time they could have held it

    • @[email protected]
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      47 months ago

      Middle aged people tend to get up at 6-7 in the weekend too. At least me and friends do.

      The timeslots for this weekend is definitely ok for me. I like watching F1 in the morning and have the rest of the day free.

    • mr47
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      07 months ago

      You contradict yourself. You are saying it’s for ME and Asia audiences because of the timeslot, and right after that state that US viewers (for whom the timeslot is comfortable) will ignore it due to lack of interest. So what are the European, ME, and Asian viewers are interested in?