It is not the first time that the organizers of a Grand Prix have been reprimanded by the commissioners for incorrect management of events during and after the race. This was also the case in Canada, where the promoters of the Grand Prix ended up under the scrutiny of the 5 FIA delegates due to the violation of the FIA safety protocols and the safety measures imposed by the Federation itself.
At the end of the race, during the single-seaters’ return lap to the pits, a significant number of spectators entered the track before all the cars had returned to parc fermé, effectively invading the track with the cars still moving. A safety problem for both spectators and drivers, who could find some fans along with the risk of an accident occurring.
Since this is not the first time that a similar accident has occurred at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, the FIA has decided to put a stop to the issue by formally calling the Canadian organizers, the Octane Racing Group, to discuss the problem directly.
Fans in rain macs
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
After investigating the incident, the stewards found the local promoter to have breached article 12.2.1.h of the International Sporting Code, noting a “failure to take reasonable measures, resulting in an unsafe situation”.
Furthermore, the commissioners underlined that, based on the video evidence, “the security measures and/or security officers and/or equipment that should have been present for the event were not applied or were not sufficient, causing an unsafe environment for spectators and drivers.”
Despite allocating more resources to run the event, Grand Prix promoters admitted that security measures were not robust enough to prevent an invasion of the track. The commissioners have decided that the organizers of the Canadian event will have to present to the FIA, by September 30th, a formal plan establishing how to avoid the situation repeating itself in the future.
The fans at the end of the race
Photo by: Lionel Ng / Motorsport Images
The commissioners also urged the FIA to look into the matter, as it is a safety issue that has already been discussed in the past, underlining that a repeat offense could also be punished with a significant financial penalty. Track invasions are not uncommon: even the promoters of the Australian Grand Prix had to deal with the commissioners for what happened during the 2023 edition, when spectators left the stands and went onto the track while the car had yet to return in the pits.
Furthermore, some fans were also able to reach Nico Hulkenberg’s car which had remained stationary on the side of the track which, among other things, had had a technical problem with the MGU-K, making the car unsafe.
In response to the incident, it was decided for 2024 not to allow fans onto the track after the conclusion of the race, marking the temporary end to a long-standing Melbourne tradition. A similar situation also occurred at the 2023 Brazilian Grand Prix, where fans entered the track at Turn 1 while the cars were still passing under the checkered flag.
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