THE Australian Grand Prix Corporation will conduct a joint investigation with Victoria Police into the early track invasion that soured the end of Sunday’s Formula 1 race at Albert Park.
It was a wild Sunday grand prix headlined by three red flags, the last of which led to an unusual restart whereby drivers eventually hopped back in their cars only to complete an out lap behind the Safety Car and roll across the finish line.
Fans seemingly lost patience in their keenness to head down to observe the imminent podium ceremonies, entering the circuit before it was declared safe to do so.
“A large group of spectators managed to break the security lines and accessed the track while the race was still ongoing,” read the stewards report.
“The security measures and the protocols, which were expected to be in place for the event, were not enforced, resulting in an unsafe environment for the spectators, drivers and race officials.
“Furthermore, spectators were also able to reach Car #27 (the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg), which was parked at exit of Turn 2 and which still had its light flashing red (i.e. the car was in an unsafe condition with possible electrical discharge).”
Representatives from the AGPC were subsequently hauled before the stewards last night and were deemed to have breached Article 12.2.1.h of the FIA’s International Sporting Code.
“The promoter concurred with the FIA sporting delegate and the race director report and agreed that this was an unacceptable situation that could have had disastrous consequences,” the stewards reported.
The matter has been referred to the World Motor Sport Council, which could yet apply sanctions, and a remedial plan has been urgently requested.
The AGPC has asked for a deadline of June 30 for its investigation.
“We met with the FIA last night until late into the evening and… we are going to conduct a very thorough investigation because there’s a protocol that allows this to happen, but it has to happen in a safe manner and there has been a breakdown somewhere,” AGPC boss Andrew Westacott told ABC Melbourne.
“We’ve got a lot of CCTV and we’ve got a huge amount of footage we’re going to have to pour through over the next couple of weeks.
“Motorsport is dangerous … it could have been horrific.
“Nobody does anything malicious at motorsport, it’s an unbelievably well-behaved crowd but they, I think, had a degree of confusion. We don’t know how they got into the area without the right level of authority.”
The 2017 Australian Grand Prix was also subject to a track invasion during the cooldown lap of the F1 race.
