Formula 1 parent company reaches $3M settlement in Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023 tickets lawsuit

Formula 1 parent company reaches $3 million settlement in Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023 tickets lawsuit Monday, July 27, 2026 | 8:45 p.m. Liberty Media, the parent company of Formula 1 and promoter of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, has agreed to a settlement of approximately $3 million to resolve a class‑action lawsuit filed by spectators over the inaugural 2023 race. The opening‑day practice session on November 16, 2023, was stopped after just nine minutes when Carlos Sainz Jr. drove over a water valve cover, sustaining severe damage to his Ferrari. Practice did not resume until the early‑morning hours of November 17, concluding around 4 a.m. local time. Spectators were cleared from the viewing areas before the scheduled 90‑minute session could begin. Individuals who held tickets solely for that practice or who purchased three‑night packages are eligible for compensation under the settlement. Claims must be submitted by August 27. Liberty Media and the Las Vegas Grand Prix organizers did not admit liability as part of the agreement. A final approval hearing is set for November 4 before the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. The $500 million spectacle originally envisioned as Formula 1’s debut on the Las Vegas Strip was marred by the practice‑night incident and the prolonged disruptions to nearby residents during months of preparation, dampening early expectations. Nevertheless, the race itself proved to be one of the season’s highlights, with Max Verstappen crossing the finish line to the chorus of “Viva Las Vegas” on his way to an eighteenth victory in 2023. Formula 1 subsequently announced a ten‑year extension that will keep the Las Vegas circuit on the calendar through at least 2037.