Las Vegas GP F1 fans must be aware of curfew which affected 2023

Formula 1 returns to Las Vegas this weekend for the second running of the race on the famous strip.

Drivers and fans alike are hyped up for the event, one of the glitziest and most glamorous on the calendar this year.

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The highly-anticipated race proved to be an exciting one, too, with Red Bull star Max Verstappen holding off Ferrari's Charles Leclerc to take the win on his way to a third consecutive world championship.

However, whilst the action on track ultimately delivered, in the build-up to the event and throughout the weekend, the Las Vegas GP came in for its fair share of criticism. This was perhaps at its fiercest when fans were kicked out of the grandstands due to a track curfew, with F1 action still to come after major delays.

Why were fans kicked out of the Las Vegas GP?

Things went wrong very quickly once cars hit the track in Las Vegas, with the first free practice session (FP1) red-flagged just eight minutes in after Ferrari's Carlos Sainz was involved in a bizarre incident.

Driving the track as normal, Sainz ran over a loose manhole cover at a reported speed of over 200 miles per hour, lifting the cover completely and causing huge damage to his Ferrari.

Repairs would later mean the Ferrari star having to take a 10-place grid penalty for the race despite the incident being absolutely no fault of his own.

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Another consequence of the accident was that it took a tremendous amount of time to repair. This meant that the red-flagged FP1 session never resumed and that FP2 was delayed by several hours, with the other manhole covers around the track also needing to be inspected.

With action cut short and delayed, fans waited patiently in the grandstands, but to their amazement, they were then kicked out of the track before FP2 even began due to a 'curfew'.

FP2 eventually got underway at 02:30 am local time, but that was one hour after the race organisers removed spectators from the seats that they had paid for, with reports of police even threatening fans with trespass charges if they refused to leave.

Why did F1 kick fans out of the Las Vegas GP?

Quickly after the decision was made and the uproar began, F1 and the Las Vegas GP issued an explanation for their decision, citing multiple factors.

“The delay in the start of the second free practice session from midnight to 2.30 am created risks for our employees and our fans,” said the statement.

“We made the decision to close the fan areas that are under LVGP’s purview at 1.30 am and send fans home.

“Let us explain why. First, we were concerned about our public safety and security officials who had been in service for a long time and who are being asked to work for the next three nights.

“Second, we were concerned about our transportation employees who are responsible for driving our fans back to hotels. By Federal law, they were bumping up against the amount of time they can legally and safely drive buses.

“Finally, our hospitality staff needed the ability to clean and resupply our guest areas to ensure that the fan experience is optimal for everyone over the coming days."

What time is the 2024 Las Vegas GP curfew?

Given the above events and what transpired, it would be totally understandable that fans attending this year's race would be keen to know if a similar curfew exists this time around, and if so, what time it comes into force.

However, unfortunately, at this time, there has been no official confirmation of said curfew or the time it would kick in.

What we can say, though, is that the vast majority of track action has been brought forward in terms of timings this year, perhaps in an effort to avoid last year's mess.

For example, in 2023, FP1 and FP2 were scheduled to get underway at 8:30 pm and 12 am local time. This year, however, they are scheduled for 6:30 pm and 10 pm, respectively.

This means that if FP2 were delayed by the two and a half hours it was last year, it would get underway at 12:30am, and finish at 1:30am - the time that fans were kicked out.

Essentially, a repeat scenario this year would likely see fans remain in the grandstands and able to watch the action if the same curfew as 2023 is enforced.

FP3 and qualifying have also been brought forward by two hours compared to last year.

Sunday's race, however, remains set for a 10pm start time in Vegas, meaning that any major delays could start to encroach on the curfew time that was enforced last year.

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