A marshal in Montreal watches as a fan climbs through a gap in the fence. Have you seen this man?
The promoter of the Canadian Grand Prix has been rebuked by F1 governing body the FIA for failing to prevent a track invasion before the end of Sunday’s race in Montreal.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen claimed his sixth victory of the F1 2024 season in Canada, triumphing over McLaren’s Lando Norris and Mercedes’ George Russell in a dramatic race in changeable conditions.
FIA warns Canadian GP promoter after track invasion
A considerable crowd of spectators successfully entered the circuit before all cars had reached the parc ferme during the cooldown lap at the race’s conclusion.
In response to a violation of Article 12.2.1.h of the 2024 FIA International Sporting Code, the FIA took action by requesting the presence of a representative from the Octane Racing Group, who organized the Canadian Grand Prix. This summoning aimed to address the failure to implement appropriate measures, which led to an unsafe situation.
In previous editions of the Canadian GP, it is believed that there has been at least one similar incident occurring at the end of the race. As a result, the FIA has decided to implement a more structured response on this particular occasion.
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According to the stewards’ notes, there was a breach in the security lines as a substantial number of spectators managed to access the track in multiple areas while the race was concluding and cars were still present on the track.
The expected security measures, officers, and equipment were either not enforced or deemed insufficient, leading to an unsafe environment for both spectators and drivers during the Event.
The stewards acknowledged that the promoter honestly confessed that the safety measures implemented fell short of their intended purpose to prevent spectators from accessing the track. They also concurred that an undesirable situation unfolded at the conclusion of the race when fans entered the track.
The promoter has made a commitment to carry out a comprehensive inquiry and implement measures to prevent a recurrence at the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix. Octane Racing Group has also expressed their dissatisfaction, as they had already allocated significant resources towards enhancing safety measures, which unfortunately did not yield the intended results.
The promoter must submit a “formal remediation plan” to the FIA before September 30, outlining their strategy to avoid a repetition of the incidents witnessed on Sunday. The stewards have cautioned that failure to comply may result in a substantial financial penalty.
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