Despite being on an official Formula 1 duty rather than Sky Sports F1 duties, commentator David Croft might be getting a slap on the wrist after repeating a controversial comment by a fan during an interview in Las Vegas, which followed a number of demo runs.
With the first Las Vegas Grand Prix since 1982 taking place November next year, the sport and its owners have pulled out all the tricks to advertise the race as best as possible, with recent demo runs having been done down the Vegas strip for that very reason.
The race is set to rival the famous and historic Monaco Grand Prix in terms of glitz and glamour, with it set to be the most visually satisfying Grand Prix to have perhaps ever happened.
With Las Vegas being the so-called ‘entertainment capital of the world’, it wouldn’t come as a surprise that the race will in fact take place late under the Vegas night sky, where the vibrant colours from the strip will reflect off the car’s chassis.
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Whether the race is actually good or not is another matter; but from a spectacle point of view, it is perhaps set to be revolutionary.
With that in mind, it is also set to be an extremely expensive affair for fans wanting to attend, with the cheapest tickets setting fans back £440.
Nevertheless, the sport is wanting to hype up the event as much as possible, with Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Sergio Pérez having all taken part in the demo runs.
A three-way interview was then carried out by two hosts, one of which was Croft.
Whilst standing on a stage in front of hundreds of fans, Croft asked the drivers if winning a title in Las Vegas would be the “coolest place” to claim a crown.
It resulted in a somewhat awkward encounter, with Croft having for some reason repeated a comment made by a fan, which resulted in a huge grin by the seven-time World Champion.
“This could also be the title decider as well, would it be the coolest place to win a world title here on the Vegas strip in the entertainment capital of the world?” Croft asked Russell, Hamilton and Pérez.
“Well, this guys got seven of them so he can probably tell you more,” Russell said, regarding Hamilton who was standing next to him.
A moments silence then broke out whilst fans shouted things at the drivers, with Croft then saying “someone’s saying he won eight”.
This resulted in mass cheers from the Vegas crowd, before Hamilton eventually said that the “party would be the best here”, if a driver won the title in Las Vegas.
The 2021 season finale was, of course, undeniably controversial, with former race director Michael Masi having failed to follow the rulebook accordingly.
During a late Safety Car at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Masi only allowed the drivers between Hamilton, who was in first, and Verstappen, who occupied second, to un-lap themselves.
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Hamilton immediately labelled the race as “manipulated” over the team radio, with Verstappen having gone on to overtake the Brit on the final lap of the race, with the Safety Car having come in at the end of the penultimate lap.
Had the rules been followed, which included, allowing all the lapped cars to un-lap themselves and also the Safety Car then completing another lap (would’ve been the final lap), then Hamilton would’ve won the 2021 title.
Following an investigation by the FIA, Masi was deemed to have made a “human error”, therefore proving that Hamilton should’ve won the title last season.