The FIA stewards have referred the Australian Grand Prix organisers to the World Motor Sport Council after they admitted to multiple “serious” security failures at the end of today’s race.
On the final lap of the race under Safety Car, a small number of fans breached the live track on the approach to turn one with the field passing by at least one spectator stood on the grass and others appearing to climb a debris fence.
Second-placed finisher Lewis Hamilton reported the fans breaching the track on his radio. The session was red-flagged after the chequered flag to slow drivers down and forbid overtaking on their return to the pits due to safety concerns.
Soon afterwards, Nico Hulkenberg was required to pull off the track at turn two due to an electrical fault on his Haas. Hulkenberg was required to jump from the car as the red ERS safety light indicated his car was ‘live’ and unsafe to be touched by anyone without using electrical safety equipment. It was reported that spectators who took to the track were able to reach Hulkenberg’s car parked on the grass while still in an electrically unsafe condition.
The stewards summoned a representative of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation – the event’s promotors – to discuss the incidents. The AGPC admitted to failures in its security measures and protocols and agreed with the stewards that both had been “unacceptable situations that could have had disastrous consequences”.
The stewards found the AGPC in breach of Article 12.2.1.h of the FIA’s International Sporting Code, which covers “any unsafe act or failure to take reasonable measures, thus resulting in an unsafe situation”. While not imposing any direct penalty on the race promotors, the stewards compelled the AGPC to “urgently present a formal remediation plan to the FIA that adequately addresses the serious concerns”.
The race stewards also passed their concerns onto the FIA for review and formally referred the incident to its World Motor Sport Council to determine if any additional action should be taken.
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After admitting the security failures, the AGPC informed the stewards they would conduct a “comprehensive review” of the spectator breach and the Hulkenberg incident through consultation with Victorian state police, Formula 1 and the FIA in response. The AGPC requested they the FIA allow them until the end of June to conduct their investigation and produce its…
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