If you wanted an example of pulling success from the jaws of disaster, the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix staged at the 6.2km track right on the famed strip stands as a pretty strong example.

Thursday’s opening practice session was over within 10 minutes of its scheduled 60 after a loose manhole cover caused serious damage to Esteban Ocon’s Alpine and then Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari. The public relations nightmare was the tabloid journalist’s manna from heaven.