“F1 is an quite clearly still an European sport”: Fans react as pictures of empty grandstands at Las Vegas emerge

Unlike NASCAR, Formula 1 is still relatively new in the US and is yet to gain popularity at par with the European nations. Several F1 fans reacted to pictures of empty Las Vegas grandstands on social media, comparing them to scenes from the old continent.

From having no venue in 2011 to hosting three races, the American motorsport community has warmed up to the F1 in the past decade. However, the overall turnaround of fans at the venues (Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas) during the hour-long Free Practice sessions (FP1 and FP2) on Fridays is still considerably less when compared to popular European locations such as Silverstone, Monza, Monaco, or Spa-Francorchamps.

This point was highlighted by a fan by sharing a few pictures of the nearly empty grandstands in Las Vegas on X. Here's a look at the post, captioned:

"Main grandstand for the Las Vegas Grand Prix during the final minutes of second practice."

Several Formula 1 fans reacted to the above-mentioned post since it went live on the micro-blogging platform. Here's a look at a few responses from the online community:

"F1 is an quite clearly still an European sport"

"The event is a absolute failure who wants to sit there at 10 degrees 😅🤣"

"They need to adjust the time of year so that race could happen in less chilly months." a fan wrote.

"Just cancel entire event or make it during the day.... like every other race" another fan suggested.

"To be fair, Austin looked much the same. The combination of the cold temperatures and the lateness of the hour is a deterrent." a fan responded.

"Just like every races on Fridays, Monza is literally like that on Friday afternoon" another fan claimed.

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"It’s like driving on ice at the moment" - Three-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen on struggling to find grip during FP1 and FP2 at Las Vegas

Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen competes in the First Practice Session for the Las Vegas Grand Prix - Source: Getty

Despite being the winner at the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix last year, three-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen struggled to set the pace during both FP1 and FP2 sessions on Thursday, November 21st.

The Red Bull Racing driver complained about a lack of grip during the mandatory post-session press interview.

"Yeah, (it was) slippery. I think we struggled a lot with making the tires work, over one lap especially. The long run I think started off a bit more competitive, but even there I think we need to fine-tune a few things. The one-lap pace is quite far off," Verstappen said.

"Of course, it’s quite unique conditions around here and it’s very cold, but at the end of the day it’s the same for everyone, so we need to try and understand what we’re doing wrong at the moment. I mean, for me it just feels massively tyre-related. The balance of the car is not even that wrong, I think, it’s just we have no grip – it’s like driving on ice at the moment," he added.

As of now, Verstappen is leading the 2024 driver's championship. The Dutchman is 62 points ahead of title rival, McLaren's Lando Norris. If everything goes in his favor, the Red Bull Racing driver stands a chance to seal the championship in Las Vegas.