Verstappen gets it right: 'F1 race saved the weekend in Las Vegas'

Max Verstappen was not mild in criticising the Las Vegas Grand Prix. However, even the three-time world champion seemed to have revised his opinion after his hard-fought Formula 1 victory in the gambling city. Ed Graney, the Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist, completely agrees with the Dutchman in his criticism.

"I was ready to fit Max Verstappen with a big red nose and floppy shoes," Graney said in his column on the Dutchman's criticism. "But then a suggestion caused me to pause. As in, what if the Formula One star was right about everything? The horror."

Las Vegas GP had a false start

Graney says he is a big fan of hosting global events like F1 in Las Vegas, but at the same time, he states that the organisers of the GP had a lot of snags. "The traffic issues for months. The road closures. Businesses losing profits after being locked out because of road construction.

"The weird loose water valve cover damaging Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari and cancelling a practice session after about nine minutes. A class action lawsuit being filed against the Las Vegas Grand Prix on behalf of fans being forced to leave the race following Sainz’s, um, issue. One after the other," Graney said.

The columnist said everyone knew the Las Vegas GP would be a spectacle, especially in the show around it. "Verstappen even got into the fun a little bit, the racer wearing a “Viva Las Vegas” uniform in paying honour to Elvis Presley’s white jumpsuit. Max does have a personality!"

"But he was critical of peripheral events that surrounded the race itself," Graney continued. "He wants folks in America to be more educated about F1, to understand exactly what the racers do and how incredibly difficult it is. How powerful, expensive and detailed the cars are. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Knowing more about what you’re witnessing is never a bad thing."

'Verstappen was right: it was a clown show'

The Red Bull Racing driver has a point, the American argued. He also agrees with Verstappen in his criticism of everything around the race. "Many locals will continue to decry staging the race, and they have legitimate reasons. This thing was an early disaster until Saturday night. It’s usually the opposite. The buildup to such an event is often memorable, and the competition then disappoints. Sort of happened the other way around this time."

Graney hopes next year's edition will be without such hiccups. "Global events are good for this town. Ticket deposits are already being taken for next year’s race. Just make sure the water valve covers are bolted down. Max Verstappen was right. But in the end, a clown show was saved by the actual race."