Australian GP boss admits track invasion could have had ‘horrific consequences’ after major security breach left fans accessing track while cars were still racing
The CEO of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) has admitted Sunday’s track invasion at Albert Park could have had “horrific consequences” and promised a “thorough investigation” into the event.
Andrew Westacott said race organizers will investigate the incident to determine how some fans managed to get onto the track before the checkered flag was waved at the end of a chaotic Australian grand prix.
Photos showed a number of spectators climbing on catch fences and wandering beyond the guardrails as the cars returned to the pits at the end of the race.
Motorsport is dangerous […] it could have been horrible,” Westacott told ABC.
“No one does anything evil in motorsport, it’s an incredibly well-behaved crowd, but I think they had a certain amount of confusion.
Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO Andrew Westacott has admitted the track invasion at the end of Sunday’s race could have had horrific consequences.
Footage showed several fans jumping over the barrier at the exit of the pit lane, while others climbed the fence to watch the race from a dangerous height while cars were still on the track
“We don’t know how they got into the area without the proper level of authority.”
Footage also showed some fans managing to reach Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas after the German’s car stopped on track due to a technical problem shortly after taking the checkered flag.
As a result, the AGPC was summoned before the FIA’s World Motor Sport Court Council to explain the security breach.
“A large group of spectators managed to break through the safety lines and gain access to the track while the race was still underway,” the stewards’ report said.
The safety measures and protocols expected for the event were not enforced, resulting in an unsafe environment for spectators, drivers and race officials.
“In addition, spectators could also reach the No. 27 car [Nico Hulkenberg]which was parked at the exit of Turn 2 and whose light was still flashing red [i.e. the car was in an unsafe condition with possible electrical discharge].
‘All this posed a considerable danger to the spectators; competition management and the drivers.’
Westacott, who is about to step down after 17 years in his role, said organizers had yet to determine what prompted fans to invade the circuit.
He told ABC his team would review CCTV footage to determine how spectators managed to gain access to the track while the cars were still whizzing by.
“There is a controlled admission of people onto the track after the race is over and after the safety car has passed,” he said.
“Spectators had broken through one of the lines, we don’t know yet how that happened.
“We had a late night meeting with the FIA last night and […] we are going to do a very thorough investigation because there is a protocol that allows this, but it has to be done in a safe way and there has been a glitch somewhere.
“We have a lot of CCTV and we have a huge amount of footage that we have to go through over the next few weeks.”
Meanwhile, a spectator who was hit by flying debris from Kevin Magnussen’s car when the Haas crashed claims he was left bleeding without any immediate help from race officials.
The Australian Grand Prix has put in place a plan to allow fans onto the track at the end of the race
But several supporters managed to get onto the track before the checkered flag was waved
Westacott said organizers will search their CCTV footage to identify the security breaches that led to fans being allowed onto the track
Will Sweet told 3AW he was standing with his fiancée on a packed hill just off turn two at Albert Park when the Danish driver’s car hit the barrier, sending its tire and debris flying into the air.
“It hit me in the arm and I just stood there bleeding,” he said.
“My arm covered where my neck would have been, but if that had hit my fiancée, she would have been right on top of her head.
“I realized how big it was and how heavy it was. Some of it was shredded and very sharp, had it hit me at a different angle it could have been terrible. […] No one even came to look.’