Canadian GP track invasion triggers FIA warning of ‘significant’ consequences
Have you seen this man? A fan climbs through a gap in the fence in Montreal as a marshal watches on
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
During the cooldown lap at the end of the race, a large number of spectactors managed to make it on to the circuit before all cars had returned to parc ferme.
The FIA acted by summoning a representative from the Octane Racing Group, the promoter of the Canadian Grand Prix, to the stewards following a breach of Article 12.2.1.h of the 2024 FIA International Sporting Code (failure to take reasonable measures, thus resulting in an unsafe situation).
It is thought that at least one incident of a similar nature has occurred at the conclusion of previous editions of the Canadian GP, resulting in the FIA adopting a more formal response on this occasion.
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“A large group of spectators managed to break the security lines and accessed the track in several areas while the race was finishing and cars were still on track,” read the stewards’ notes.
“The security measures and/or security officers and/or equipment which were expected to be in place for the Event were not either enforced or were not sufficient resulting in an unsafe environment for the spectators and drivers.”
The stewards noted that the promoter “candidly admitted that the safety measures in place did not achieve the goal to prevent spectators from entering the track” and agreed that an “unacceptable situation” occurred at the end of the race as fans entered the track.
The promoter has vowed to “conduct a thorough investigation” and take necessary steps to avoid s repeat at next year’s Canadian Grand Prix, with Octane Racing Group also “expressing disappointment” having already “invested significant resources in improving safety measures”, which “did not have the desired effect.
The promoter is required to present a “formal remediation plan” to the FIA by no later than September 30 to lay out how it intends to prevent a repeat of Sunday’s scenes, with the stewards warning that a “significant financial penalty will be imposed in case of any reoccurrence.”
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