November 20, 2023 Loose manhole cover drives F1 stars round the bend

When we first saw the pictures issued by BBC Sport of the manhole cover that had come loose during the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix practice round on Friday last week, we couldn’t believe our eyes.

Trouble started when Spanish driver, Carlos Sainz, hit the manhole nine minutes into the session. The concrete around the manhole cover had reportedly broken down and was sucked into the base of Sainz’s Ferrari. The team’s principal Fred Vasseur called the issue ‘just unacceptable’.

The Alpine of Esteban Ocon was also damaged, again caused by the concrete frame around the manhole cover breaking. The issues resulted in the first practice being cancelled completely and the second delayed by two-and-a-half hours, with angry ticketholders forced to leave the stands while all manhole covers around the track were checked.

Here at Fabweld Steel Products we pride ourselves on producing high quality products, every time. Our vision has always been to deliver not only quality products but solutions too, with a rapid and exceptional customer service, maximising returns for all stakeholders.

The knowledge and expertise embedded throughout our business enables us to interpret bespoke requirements and produce products of the highest calibre. We’re proud of that.

But customers need reassurance, we understand that. That’s why we ensure every single product that leaves our factory does so having undergone rigorous testing.

Durability is paramount. Our access covers will be tested under stress, in various environments to guarantee that they are fit for purpose.

Each product is also quality assured and quality controlled. Only recently did we retain our trio of top standards that sets us apart as one of the leaders in our field by passing our recertification audit for the international ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 14001 for environmental management and OHSAS 18001 for health and safety with flying colours. Our policies and procedures were scrutinised during a three-day reassessment by an independent organisation.

At FSP we have heavily invested in improving management systems, traceability and quality control, to ensure the best outcomes for our customers. Independent verification from outside experts gives peace of mind to our clients, suppliers and contractors that we are market leaders not only in terms of our products but the service we offer.

So, if you don’t want to find yourselves driven around the bend by sub-standard access covers which aren’t fit for purpose, we like to think you’d know where to come.