F1 news: Spectators within metres of speeding cars after track invasion at Australian Grand Prix

Terrifying footage of fans accessing the Melbourne track while cars were still racing has prompted a full investigation with race bosses saying it was lucky no one was killed.

Fans on the track at the Aus GP

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Shocking footage has emerged of fans invading the track at the Australian Grand Prix before the race had concluded, with some spectators coming within metres of the speeding Formula One cars.

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation was placed under review by the FIA and FIA World Motorsports Council for further investigation after a representative of the AGPC was

Vision from multiple spectators in the stands shows fans squeezing their way through the barriers not far past the pit lane exit and entering the track.

One man dressed in a blue shirt begins running towards the pit lane exit, before being called back.

Fans then queue at the side of the track and one person can be seen filming the cars as they cross the start-finish line and approach turn one.

Discussions went long into the night.

On Monday morning, outgoing AGCP) boss Andrew Westacott said they remain unaware of how fans managed to access the track.

“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,” he told the ABC.

“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.”

This is so bad

Fans on the track while cars still running, this is why the organisation have been summoned to the FIApic.twitter.com/Wo1BKPA0xu

— Dan - EngineMode11 (@EngineMode11) April 2, 2023

One spectator climbs the safety barrier as several others enter the track proper through a narrow gap. Picture: YouTube

The stewards’ report notes: “A large group of spectators managed to break the security lines and accessed the track while the race was still ongoing. 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 spectators, drivers and race officials.

“Furthermore, spectators were also able to reach car No.27 (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).

“All of this presented significant danger to the spectators; race officials and the drivers.”

Fans can be seen huddling together as the Formula One cars speed past the unwelcome party. Picture: YouTube

The stewards deemed the AGPC in breach of Article 12.2.1.h of the 2023 FIA International Sporting Code — failure to take reasonable measures, thus resulting in an unsafe action.

The stewards concluded that the AGPC should “urgently present a formal remediation plan to the FIA that adequately addresses the serious concerns above”.

Spectators near turn 1 pour onto the racing circuit as Formula One racers enter the home straight at the other end. Picture: YouTube

The report went on to state: “As this relates to serious issues around safety and security, the Stewards hereby request the FIA to review and comment on whether the above mentioned steps are adequate to address the concerns raised and to state if any further measure(s) need to be taken, as soon as possible.

“This should be done directly with the Promoter. The FIA should state a deadline for the same and comment on whether the Promoter’s requested deadline is acceptable.

“In addition, the stewards hereby formally refer this incident to the FIA World Motor Sports Council for a further investigation to determine whether any additional steps need to be taken or penalties applied beyond the remediation plan presented by the Promoter (and reviewed by the FIA) to ensure the safe and orderly conduct of future events in Australia.”

It casts a shadow on what was otherwise a historic week for Formula One in Melbourne, with the cumulative crowd figures over the four-day event shattering the previous attendance record by more than 20,000.

Piastri the big winner from Aus GP carnage

Oscar Piastri joined compatriots Mark Webber and Daniel Ricciardo in recording a top-10 finish on his Australian Grand Prix debut after a crazy Sunday at Albert Park.

Starting P16 in just his third Formula One start, the 21 year old rode a lot of luck and offered a glimpse of his overtaking talent before late drama gifted him an incredible eighth-place finish.

It was the rookie’s first points finish in Formula One and a much-deserved reward after disastrous luck in the first two races of his career.

He appeared destined for an agonising 11th-place until a late red flag – the third of the race – and subsequent four-car crash on the restart resulted in a meteoric rise up the order.

In just his third start, Oscar Piastri has claimed points in his first F1 race on home soil. Picture: Getty Images.

“Definitely happy to get my first points on the board, especially here at home,” Piastri said.

“It was a crazy race, obviously. I think that’s the first race I’ve had three red flags – it’s probably most people’s first race like that.

“(But we) kept ourselves out of trouble and ended up in the points which is great.”

A trio of early DNFs to Charles Leclerc, Alex Albon and George Russell helped Piastri rise into points calculations and the homegrown hero completed a brilliant lap 30 move on Yuki Tsunoda to give himself a sniff.

But the McLaren rookie remained stranded outside the top 10, until some heavenly help from Haas.

When Kevin Magnussen lost his tyre four laps from the chequered flag, a second race restart resulted in the two Alpines of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly crashing out.

Piastri finished in P8, after several rivals either crashed out or copped penalties. Picture: Getty Images.

After much deliberation, the grid order was re-established sans the broken Alpines and Piastri was installed, incredibly, into the top 10.

The good news kept coming for the young Aussie, who was elevated a place higher after Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was hit with a five-second post-race penalty for his part in sending Fernando Alonso into a spin during the earlier carnage.

Piastri’s P8 capped what looked destined to be a disappointing weekend for the highly-rated youngster, who bombed out in Q1 on Saturday by less than five-hundredths of a second.

There was little expectation to put his McLaren into the points in Melbourne, particularly after both he and teammate Lando Norris failed to make Q3 a day earlier.

Instead the team will leave Melbourne with dual points finishes – Norris landing in P6 after an impressive day in the seat of his No.4 papaya.

McLaren, who headed to Melbourne anchored at the foot of the constructors’ standings following its worst start to a season since 2019, banked 12 points to move all the way into fifth.

Piastri looked set to miss out on a top-10 finish, until the restart from a red flag saw him move up to eight. Picture: Getty Images.

“To have both of us in the points and strongly into the points is good,” Piastri said.

“Obviously it’s not been a great first two races for the whole team, for things largely out of our control.

“(Thankfully) some things out of our control went right today to get us into the points.

With the Melbourne madness now behind them, Piastri and McLaren turn their attention to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and a looming upgrade which the team hopes will make it more competitive.

“We’ve got some upgrades coming in Baku and again later in the year so to get points on the board with the car that we have at the moment I think is really important,” he said.

“The first two races really couldn’t have gone that much worse, I would say, for the team.

“It was nice to be on the good end of other things going wrong for other people.”