The promoters of the US Grand Prix at The Circuit of the Americas have been hit with a hefty €500,000 fine by the FIA following a track invasion that took place at the conclusion of Sunday’s race.
At the end of the event, a significant number of spectators breached the security barriers and entered the track while cars were still on their cooldown laps.
The FIA reported that approximately 200 individuals, mostly from the grandstands opposite the pitlane, managed to climb over a fence, drop two meters, and clear a catch fence and barrier that separated them from the active track.
Such premature track invasions are considered a serious violation of the FIA's safety protocols. In light of the incident, representatives from US Race Management and COTA were summoned by the to explain the breach.
After the meeting, the stewards concluded that the promoters had violated the FIA's International Sporting Code by "failing to take reasonable measures thus resulting in an unsafe situation."
As a consequence, a €500,000 fine was imposed on the promoter.
While the stewards acknowledged that the safety plan for allowing the public onto the track was generally well-executed, they identified a specific area where the plan fell short, allowing for the unauthorized incursion.
This marks the first instance of such a breach at COTA in its 12 years of hosting Formula 1 events. As a result, €350,000 of the fine has been suspended until December 31, 2026, on the condition that no further track invasions occur during any FIA Championship events at the venue before that date.
Additionally, the COTA promoters are required to submit a comprehensive plan to the FIA by the end of 2024, detailing how they will prevent future track invasions and identifying any other potential security weaknesses around the circuit.
This incident is part of a broader trend of crowd control challenges at recent Formula 1 races. Earlier in 2024, the Canadian Grand Prix faced a similar issue, where fans breached the track while cars were still circulating.
In 2023, track invasion problems also marred the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, leading organisers to ban their traditional track invasion for the 2024 race at Albert Park in response to FIA directives.
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