F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix LIVE: Race updates and times in Sin City

As opposed to a refund, all single-day ticket holders have instead been offered a $200 voucher for the Las Vegas Grand Prix official shop.

Those with full weekend, three-day tickets won’t be reimbursed in any way for Thursday night’s lost action.

A lengthy statement released on Friday from F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali and Las Vegas Grand Prix CEO Renee Wilm was also notable for the lack of an apology to spectators as well.

Organisers of the Las Vegas Grand Prix are facing a class action lawsuit following the farcical start to this weekend’s race on the strip.

Formula One sold the sport’s Sin City comeback after four decades away as the greatest show on Earth.

But fans witnessed just eight minutes of practice on Thursday after a drain cover broke free and tore a hole into the underbelly of Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari.

The second running was delayed by two-and-a-half hours, and took place in front of vacant grandstands as furious fans were ejected to comply with local employment laws. Practice finished at 4am on Friday morning.

1) Red Bull – 782 points (champions)

5) Aston Martin – 261 points

8) AlphaTauri – 21 points

9) Alfa Romeo – 16 points

Long read by Kieran Jackson

The setting is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway: home to the world-famous Indy 500 race. Ahead of the 2005 United States Grand Prix, at a circuit modified for Formula 1, ITV pundit and former F1 driver Martin Brundle is interviewing the sport’s long-term supremo and commander-in-chief Bernie Ecclestone on the grid. And you may well say, nothing unusual about that.

What is more unusual is Brundle’s direct, bordering on combative, line of questioning. A huddle of camera crew and journalists huddle around, eager for answers. Because F1’s only race in the land of the free is about to become a farce. Out of 20 cars, only six take to the start line. For the sport and its tempestuous 55-year relationship with the US, it is the ultimate moment of absurdity. “The future of Formula 1 in America?” asks Brundle. “Not good,” Ecclestone replies.

It is a far cry from where the sport is stateside now. Formula 1 is pushing boundaries and breaking the glass ceiling in a manner which would be unambiguously imposing if it wasn’t in the United States. There are now three races, with this week’s grand prix on the Las Vegas strip following on from a highly successful rebirth of the US Grand Prix in Austin and a street track in Miami.

After 75 races at 11 different American venues, F1 has finally cracked the American code.

1) Max Verstappen – 524 points (champion)

2) Sergio Perez – 258 points

3) Lewis Hamiton – 226 points

4) Fernando Alonso – 198 points

5) Lando Norris – 195 points

6) Carlos Sainz – 192 points

7) Charles Leclerc – 170 points

8) George Russell – 156 points

9) Oscar Piastri – 87 points

10) Lance Stroll – 63 points

11) Pierre Gasly – 62 points

12) Esteban Ocon – 46 points

13) Alex Albon – 27 points

14) Yuki Tsunoda – 13 points

15) Valtteri Bottas – 10 points

16) Nico Hulkenberg – 9 points

17) Daniel Ricciardo – 6 points

18) Zhou Guanyu – 6 points

19) Kevin Magnussen – 3 points

20) Liam Lawson – 2 points

21) Logan Sargeant – 1 point

21) Nyck de Vries – 0 points

Max Verstappen compared the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit to the “National League” after qualifying on Saturday – while Monaco is the Champions League.

The three-time world champion has been outspoken this week about the inaugural race on the Vegas strip, describing it as “99% show, 1% race.”

*Carlos Sainz received a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding his power unit allocation

**Lance Stroll received a five-place grid penalty for overtaking under yellow flag conditions in third practice

Kieran Jackson in Las Vegas

Amid the maelstrom swirling on the other side of the Ferrari garage in the last few days at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc has been razor-sharp. Fastest in the sole practice session on Friday, the Monegasque is so often ice-cool on the tight, twisty street circuits that so regularly crop up now in Formula 1.

Such was his confidence – and previous qualifying form in similar conditions – Leclerc was actually favourite with the bookies for pole position ahead of Max Verstappen. The Ferrari man proved them right, sealing a Ferrari one-two with Carlos Sainz qualifying in second.

Unfortunately however, the Spaniard will not be starting alongside his team-mate for the inaugural Saturday night race. Sainz’s ridiculous 10-place grid penalty for exceeding his gearbox allocation – which only came about due to the FIA’s incompetence after manhole-gate on opening night – has wiped out Leclerc’s most helpful aid to win the 50-lap race. For those desperate for an engrossing battle at the front, not least F1 and LVGP chiefs, it is a bitter blow.

Good evening – or morning! – and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the first-ever Las Vegas Grand Prix!

Charles Leclerc starts on pole, with Max Verstappen in second and George Russell third. Leclerc’s Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz qualified second but due to his 10-place grid drop, he will start in 12th.

Follow all the news and build-up right here – lights out is at 6am (GMT).