Wolff defends F1 and Liberty after incidents in Las Vegas: “It's nothing, it's just FP1! »

Generally, press conferences are far from being as lively as the one this Friday, especially in 2023! The interview with the various team directors took place a few minutes after the interruption and then the cancellation of Free Practice 1. A session which lasted only 8 minutes, due to a sewer opening. was unsealed from the tarmac and was hit head-on by Carlos Sainz. A mishap which then had repercussions on the program, with Free Practice 2 ending at four a.m. local time !

Wolff to the rescue of F1

Sitting side by side during the press conference, Frédéric Vasseur and Toto wolff However, they did not have the same point of view on this incident. On the one hand, the Frenchman, visibly annoyed and rightly so, did not like Tom Clarkson's questions, the host of the interview, and was content with dry answers to the British journalist. On the other hand, Toto Wolff tried to water down the situation by defending the organizers of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, namely… the Formula 1 herself, via Liberty Media.

“I don’t see that in a bad way. It's nothing. It's Thursday, we have a Free Practice 1 session which we will not do. They will seal the drain covers and no one will talk about this again in the morning…”, first declared the Team Principal of Mercedes Benz, before someone cuts him off in the room.

Another journalist then asked him if this nightmarish evening would not bring bad publicity for Formula 1. A question which annoyed the Austrian leader… “This is completely ridiculous!” It's the EL1, how dare you speak ill of an event that sets new standards. You're talking about a f***ing manhole that came loose, which has happened before. It's nothing, it's just EL1! »

“No one watches EL1 on European time”

Toto Wolff, as the great white knight of Formula 1, believes that despite the adventures encountered this Thursday-Friday, the discipline “did a wonderful job” to organize the Las Vegas Grand Prix. “We must pay tribute to the people who set up this Grand Prix, who made this sport much more important than it ever was. Have you ever spoken well of someone and written a good word? You should do it about all these people who came here, he addressed to this journalist. And just because a manhole came loose in Free Practice 1 doesn't mean we should complain. The car is broken, it's a shame. (…) Anyway, no one is watching this session [the EL1] on European time. » 

Unfortunately, Mr. Wolff, many European spectators – but also Asians, Africans and elsewhere – were in front of their screens to follow this picturesque spectacle that Formula 1 once again offered. And even the fans present on site did not were unable to attend Free Practice 2, evacuated after hours of waiting despite having purchased places at a huge price...

ALSO READ > Fred Vasseur, upset after the incident in EL1 in Vegas: “It’s unacceptable for F1”