Chaotic Las Vegas Grand Prix first lap sees crashes and Verstappen controversy

Las Vegas Grand Prix

Chaotic Las Vegas Grand Prix first lap sees crashes and Verstappen controversy

Drivers struggled for grip on the first lap in Nevada

Chris Deeley

Sunday 19 November 2023 07:14 Updated: 07:26

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A chaotic first lap at the Las Vegas Grand Prix saw a number of cars struggling for grip, with a number of big names coming together – including Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso.

Alonso ended up pointing the wrong way coming out of the first corner, taking damage and causing a virtual safety car as the marshals scurried onto the track to pick up pieces of Aston Martin.

At the front, Max Verstappen got through ahead of Charles Leclerc in controversial fashion, pushing the Monegasque off the track as the Ferrari driver cried out for justice from the stewards on the team radio.

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Max Verstappen, in his Elvis inspired suit, dived down the inside at turn 1

Carlos Sainz's nightmare weekend continued with contract at turn 1

Lap 1 fallout

Hamilton avoided picking up any damage in the first lap incident, just getting a light tap coming into turn one – in contrast to Alonso and Sergio Perez, who each needed to come into the pits to have their cars repaired.

The cold temperatures for the desert night race saw the drivers facing an effective ice rink at the first turn, with Alonso and Sainz in particular getting little to no grip as George Russell complained that the conditions made it 'like driving in the wet'.

The McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris avoided the worst of the chaos, gaining a number of places as they picked their way through the pack – although that didn't help the latter much, as he binned the car a couple of laps later.