Australian Grand Prix officials have admitted to safety and security failures after a large group of spectators invaded the track during the Formula One race at Albert Park.
Stewards have ordered organisers to urgently produce a “remediation plan.”
The spectators managed to break through security and access the track towards the end of Sunday’s race, with some reaching the car driven by Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg as it was parked at the exit of turn two.
“All of this presented significant danger to the spectators; race officials and the drivers,” stewards said in a statement issued by the governing FIA.
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The Australian Grand Prix Corporation fronted stewards and admitted to the safety and security failures, agreeing it was an “unacceptable situation that could have had disastrous consequences”.
Video posted on social media showed fans climbing trackside barriers.
Organisers were told to provide a formal remediation plan to address the failures, including a review of the marshals protecting Hulkenberg’s car.
Stewards also requested that the FIA refer the incident to the governing body’s World Motor Sports Council to determine whether penalties should be applied.
The AGPC asked to have until June 30 to submit its review.
Organisers said a crowd of 131,124 attended Albert Park for Sunday’s race and a record total of 444,631 spectators across the race week.
Red Bull’s reigning world champion Max Verstappen won the race which was plunged into late chaos by a slew of crashes and red flags.
-AAP
