It wasn’t just Lando Norris who took a costly penalty during the United States GP on Sunday. The promoter of the American round organized in Austin was also heavily sanctioned. A few hours after the finish of the Grand Prix, the FIA imposed a fine of 500,000 euros on the race organizers, including 350,000 euros suspended until the end of 2026. The reason? The commissioners judged that the safety of spectators had not been ensured following the premature invasion of the track by certain fans, even before the end of the drivers’ deceleration lap.
According to the FIA, nearly 200 people climbed a small fence and fell approximately two meters to the ground between the grandstand of the pit straight and the protective fence. They would then have passed under this fence before climbing another meter-high wall and entering the main straight while the cars had not yet arrived at the Parc Fermé. This is the first time in 12 years of Formula 1 in Austin that such an event has occurred in Texas.
The FIA clarified that the fine will be “dedicated by the FIA Safety Department to strengthening safety in motorsport” and ordered the promoter to submit a formal remediation plan by the end of the ‘year.
With Reuters
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