The controversial Formula 1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas is battling bad pressure and shaft problems

The most expensive sporting event in North America was almost ruined by the failure of a pair of screws.

Formula One’s F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix is ​​still recovering from an incident during Thursday’s practice run. At that stage, a car was badly damaged by screws from a storm drain on the street. Carlos Sainz Jr. ‘s first practice session was cut short when his vehicle went over a cover on the temporary street course. It caused extensive damage to the underside of his Ferrari and Sainz said the part had broken through far enough to damage his seat. Formula 1 then closed the track to inspect the entire track, including a long section of the Vegas Strip.

It was just the latest mishap in the estimated $500 million event. Poor ticket sales, caustic comments from leading F1 driver Max Verstappen and complaints from local residents have put a damper on the event, which takes place tonight at 10pm. It is the first F1 race in the city since the early 1980s.

F1 president Stefano Domenicali and Las Vegas Grand Prix CEO Renee Wilm issued a joint statement Friday night explaining the storm drain debacle: “It’s important that newcomers to racing understand this.”

The statement made no apology for the manhole incident. In a second statement from the organization Thursday, practice card holders were offered a $200 credit to spend at the official merchandise store. This angered many fans who felt that the nine minutes of action they got was worth much more.

“We know it was disappointing. “We hope this statement will help our fans understand that we had to balance many interests, including the safety of all participants and the fan experience during the race weekend,” the statement read. “We have all been to events such as concerts, competitions and even other Formula 1 races that have been canceled due to factors such as weather or technical problems. It happens and we hope people understand.”

“We know it will be a great event,” they said. “Let’s get back to the races with this.”

Tickets for the event tend to be more expensive than average American fans, and the scheduled times at the track are specifically aimed at the European audience. It almost led to another embarrassment when race officials admitted they were unaware that overnight temperatures in the desert city were colder than expected, potentially posing a safety risk.

Even the managers got involved.

Max Verstappen, already crowned season champion, described the event in pre-race interviews as a “99% performance, 1% sporting event”. That could all disappear when the race is close tonight and the casinos are full of rich fans. But what should have been a big moment for the city already has a steep hole to climb out of.