The promoter of the United States Grand Prix has been fined after around 200 people invaded the track while drivers were still completing their cool down laps.

A large group of spectators, estimated at approximately 200 people, in the grandstand alongside pit straight, climbed a small fence and dropped around 2 metres to the ground between the grandstand and the track debris fencing.

They then went under the debris fencing and climbed over the trackside wall (approximately 1 metre high) and then merged onto the main straight.

All this occurred whilst the competing cars were still on track completing their cool down lap after the chequered flag.

The Stewards heard from Messrs Regan Holley and Jake Woese representing the Promoter, Mr Tim Mayer representing US Race Management and Messrs Nikolas Tombazis, Tim Malyon and Niels Wittich representing the FIA.

Mr Dennis Dean, the ASN steward, was not considered to have a conflict of interest as he had no role in either the promoting body nor the sporting organiser.

It was noted that there had been no track incursions at this circuit in its 12-year history of Formula 1 events. However, it was noted that crowd behaviour is an evolving issue, and that public safety precautions should evolve accordingly. It is not unreasonable to expect that the incursion which occurred could have been foreseen.

While the Stewards noted that the Safety Plan for the allowance of the public onto the track, was actually well implemented, the incursion occurred due to the failure to identify a potential incursion area that was not addressed in that Safety Plan.

The Stewards noted the submission by the FIA that unlike some previous track incursions at other circuits, it wished to have this matter dealt with by the Stewards of the Event. Mr Mayer agreed with this request on behalf of the Sporting Organiser and the Promoter.

Accordingly, the Stewards determined that the Promoter breached Article 12.2.1.h of the 2024 FIA International Sporting Code and is required, by December 31 2024, to submit to the FIA a formal remediation plan that, in the opinion of the FIA, adequately addresses this issue but also assesses whether other potential incursion areas exist around the circuit.

There have now been a number of track incursions in recent times and the safety of the public is of paramount importance to the sport, in view of the severity of this incursion, a fine of €500,000 was imposed on the Promoter.

However, in view of the fact this is the first case of its kind at this circuit, €350,000 of the fine is suspended until December 31 2026 on the basis that between now and that date, there are no further track incursions at this circuit during any FIA Championship Event.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by ffracer, 22/10/2024 13:08

"@Pavlo - thanks for your help in clarifying. To be clear for everyone out there, the cool down lap is when all the remaining race cars are slowly circulating around the circuit back to Parc Ferme, with drivers acknowledging the air horns and chants of the crowds and/or the corner marshals lining the track while waving all their flags. In the mid 90’s, a friend was running along, on slippers no less, and trying to catch and pass along a Ferrari flag to a slow moving and ecstatic Canadian GP winner, Jean Alesi, who was perched atop the engine cover of another car, before, and in the immortal words of legend Murray Walker “it went horribly wrong “, and my buddy does a face plant/barrel roll in front of 30,000 + spectators at the hairpin and millions watching the world feed lolol!

This practice is extremely dangerous and I believe that it is still a problem at Monza and Interlagos where tifosi are entering the live racetrack, and before the last running racecar has passed."

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2. Posted by Pavlo, 22/10/2024 6:36

"Regarding Monza - as I saw it, in Monza spectators waited for the gate to be open and were allowed to the piece of track where no cars were possibly driving. In a controlled and safe manner.
COTA organizers would not be penalized for controlled thing, but they had a "small crowd" uncontrollably go on track without any way to ensure they don't end up where the cars were still driving.
I also expect that the crows would pay fines to compensate these 500k, if COTA can identify the spectators."

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3. Posted by ffracer, 22/10/2024 1:13

"€ 500,000 ?! This FIA is so delusional from logic. Monza tifosi are in the thousands on track and, in truth, I can't remember any Canadian GPs that fans didn't end up on the track on the cool down lap.

How about COTA confirms to spend 10% of that on gravel traps and call it even. Further, I absolutely loved Anthony Davidson and Jenson Button's post race angst on track limits... so it's not just drivers, TPs and fans."

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4. Posted by Celtic Tiger, 21/10/2024 21:58

"Yeah, it seems some people want to have that Tifosi moment. It also seems that a 12 year peace of normal well-adjusted spectators lulled the track side security into a docile state. To have 200 people scale a 6 foot fence, run across probably a 40 foot gap, yank up the bottom of a debris fence and scurry under like Rambo finished with a leap over a 3 foot barrier is one determined mob mentality moment.

I mean, that level of commitment to a bad idea is pretty funny, I have to admit. "

COTA Promoter fined €500,000 following track invasion

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