The stewards of the Australian Grand Prix are investigating a track invasion which appeared to take place at the end of the race.
A document issued by the FIA stated a representative of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation had had been summoned to meet them at 8:15pm local time, over two-and-a-half hours after the race ended.The location of the track invasion has not been confirmed. However Lewis Hamilton reported seeing fans on the track after taking the chequered flag at Albert Park. Some were standing at the inside of turn one and others were climbing the fences at the corner.
“There’s people on the track, man, some fans have got on,” Hamilton told his race engineer Peter Bonnington after finishing in second place. The red flag was shown shortly afterwards, despite the fact Max Verstappen had already taken the chequered flag.
According to F1, 131,124 spectators attended today’s race. It claimed the total audience for the four-day event was 444,631, beating the record set at the Circuit of the Americas last year.
The Albert Park circuit was also the scene of a track invasion after the end of the 2017 race. A group of spectators entered the circuit around turns 14, 15 and 16.
Fans gaining unauthorised access to the circuit has also been a problem for other venues. This week six Just Stop Oil protesters were sentenced over a protest at Silverstone during last year’s British Grand Prix.
Video: Spectators entering track at end of race
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Jere (@jerejj)
2nd April 2023, 11:47
Surprising that a track invasion happened outside the world feed footage & that the red didn’t appear on the graphics or live timing screen.
Yes, spectators entered the circuit around the last corners during the cooldown lap in 2017, but that was about them getting granted access prematurely, as with some guests entering the pit lane with Albon approaching after his late pit stop in last season’s race.
Simon
2nd April 2023, 15:41
10 minutes 🙄
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
2nd April 2023, 12:14
Not surprised they were keen, after sitting around for half an hour just to see an extra parade lap.
Ipsom
2nd April 2023, 15:27
Wow that video is shocking, fans that passed the fence were way too close to the track.
How was it just Hamilton that noticed?!
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
2nd April 2023, 16:54
If he had won he’d have said “we got the best fans here, they even get inside the track!”
RedEaredRabbit (@redearedrabbit)
2nd April 2023, 20:14
I just knew someone would turn this into an anti-Lewis thing.
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage (@davedai)
3rd April 2023, 0:06
Thankfully those days are behind us.
Homerlovesbeer (@homerlovesbeer)
3rd April 2023, 8:19
Storm in a teacup
pastaman
3rd April 2023, 13:22
DTS crowd, doing what they do
Paul2013
3rd April 2023, 14:59
Motor sport has become a thing for young ladies, lawyers and influencers. As a child I remember going to rally races with my father and there weren’t so many silly rules.