Liberty Media Agrees to About $3 Million Settlement Over Las Vegas GP Practice Night Disruption

Overview

• Liberty Media announced on Friday that it will pay roughly $3 million to settle a class-action suit by spectators over the halted Nov. 16, 2023 opening-night practice.
• The settlement covers fans who held only the interrupted practice tickets and some three-night pass holders and sets an Aug. 27 claims deadline and a Nov. 4 final approval hearing in U.S. District Court in Nevada.
• The session was stopped after a defective water valve/manhole cover damaged Carlos Sainz Jr.'s Ferrari and crews removed and filled covers along the Las Vegas Strip before practice could resume.
• Spectators were offered merchandise vouchers at the time while plaintiffs said full refunds were not given, leaving roughly 32,000 potential claimants eligible to file under the settlement.
• The deal closes a major legal front for the event promoter even as Formula One separately committed the Las Vegas race to the calendar through at least 2037, a result that preserves commercial ties but raises lingering safety and reputational questions.