Grand Prix Melbourne: Albert Park track invasion review due on June 30
Australian Grand Prix organisers have only weeks to submit a review into its massive security breach that could have had disastrous consequences for drivers or the track invaders.
Victoria
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Australian Grand Prix organisers have been set a June 30 deadline to file a report to the sport’s global bosses on an embarrassing track invasion at this year’s Formula 1 race.
Spectators were able to get onto the track in a massive security breach during the event at the Albert Park circuit.
Their review, prepared with Victoria Police assistance, has been looking into what went wrong in an incident which could have had disastrous consequences for drivers or the intruders themselves.
It has caused alarm at the highest levels of F1.
Possible sanctions include fines and stricter security arrangements at next year’s race and beyond.
An increased security presence and more barriers between the track and the public are the most likely outcomes, according to F1 insiders
It is believed the matter was discussed at an AGPC board meeting in Melbourne last week.
An Australian Grand Prix Corporation statement confirmed its review of what happened and its controls and procedures was due to be handed over to the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile in coming weeks.
“AGPC’s review of spectator behaviour in the final stages of the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2023 and permitted “track invasion” controls and procedures is ongoing and due to be submitted to FIA by June 30, 2023,” it said.
A report by race stewards in the event’s aftermath found expected security measures and protocols were not in place.
“All of this presented significant danger to the spectators; race officials and the drivers,” the stewards report stated.
Race organisers have rejected any suggestion security officers left a route to the track open when they left as their rostered shifts ended with the race still running after a succession of delays.
“Track security rosters are designed to factor in any race delays,” the AGPC statement said.
“And there were no track security shifts rostered to conclude at any times that finished before or on the actual race finish time at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2023.”
Online videos showed fans sneaking past barriers and onto the track at the same time as cars were completing cool-down laps at high-speed.
They were able to reach the parked vehicle of Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg, whose car was trackside with a flashing red warning light because of a potentially dangerous electrical discharge.
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