US Grand Prix officials punished by FIA following late-race transgression

The promoter of the United States Grand Prix was summoned by the FIA over a post-race track invasion at COTA.

A track invasion at the Circuit of the Americas has resulted in a post-race summons for the US Grand Prix promoter.

FIA issues summons to US GP representatives

Representatives for the US Grand Prix and the Circuit of the Americas will see the stewards from the FIA hours after the chequered flag, due to a post-race track invasion.

“Representatives from US Race Management and Circuit of The Americas are required to report to the Stewards at 18:15,” read a document from the FIA.

The reason for the summons was given as a “spectator track invasion prior to the conclusion of the 2024 United States Grand Prix.”

Explaining what had happened, the FIA said: “A large group of spectators, estimated at approximately 200 people, in the grandstand alongside the pit straight, climbed a small fence, and dropped around 2 metres to the ground between the grandstand and the track debris fencing.

“They then went under the debris fencing and climbed over the trackside wall (approximately 1 metre high) and then merged onto the main straight. All this occurred whilst the competing cars were still on track completing their cooldown lap after the chequered flag.”

What happened at the stewards meeting?

The stewards met with the promoter’s representatives, Regan Holley and Jake Woese, while Tim Mayer represented the organiser, with Nikolas Tombazis, Tim Malyon, and Niels Wittich representing the FIA.

The stewards determined that a “well-implemented” safety plan put in place by the promoter, who assumes responsibility for the security of the public, had failed to identify a potential incursion area which was not included in the safety plan.

With this being a first-time incident at COTA, the promoter has been hit with a fine of €500,000 – however, only €150,000 of this will be imposed with the remaining €350,000 suspended until December 31st 2026 provided there are no further incidents during any FIA championship event at the circuit.

The promoter, having breached Article 12.2.2.1.h of the 2024 FIA International Sporting Code, must also submit a remediation plan to the governing body by December 31st, 2024, to address the issue and identify any further potential incursion areas.

The stewards recommended that the proceeds of the unsuspended fine (€150,000) be dedicated to additional motorsport safety by the FIA Safety Department.

More on the FIA and F1’s governance

👉 FIA explained: What does it stand for and how does it govern F1?

👉 Explained: How the FIA develops potential new F1 rules and regulations

What is the precedent for track invasions?

Earlier this year, a similar incident occurred at the Canadian Grand Prix, with an attitude of contrition from the promoter resulting in no official punishment or fine.

During the cooldown lap at the end of the race in Montreal, a large number of spectators managed to make it onto the circuit before all cars had returned to parc fermé.

The FIA immediately acted by summoning a representative from the Octane Racing Group, the promoter of the Canadian Grand Prix, to the stewards following a breach of Article 12.2.1.h of the 2024 FIA International Sporting Code (failure to take reasonable measures, thus resulting in an unsafe situation).

With at least one incident of a similar nature occurring at the conclusion of previous editions of the Canadian GP, it resulted in the FIA adopting a more formal response.

The stewards noted that the promoter “candidly admitted that the safety measures in place did not achieve the goal to prevent spectators from entering the track” and agreed that an “unacceptable situation” occurred at the end of the race as fans entered the track.

The promoter was required to present a “formal remediation plan” to the FIA to lay out how it intends to prevent a repeat of Sunday’s scenes, with the stewards warning that a “significant financial penalty will be imposed in case of any reoccurrence.”

Earlier this year, the Australian Grand Prix barred patrons at its race from going onto the track as a result of an incident at the conclusion of the 2023 event in which fans had made it onto the tarmac during the cooldown lap and even approached the broken-down Haas of Nico Hulkenberg at a point when his car was still electrically unsafe.

“The Australian Grand Prix Corporation advises that given the ongoing FIA investigation into the early track breach at the conclusion of the 2023 event, there will be no track access for patrons following the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2024,” the AGPC’s statement in January 2024 read.

“Decisions regarding patron access to the track at the conclusion of future races will be made at a later date.”

Given there were no financial penalties for either Montreal or Canada, nor for Sao Paulo or Silverstone for other recent track invasions, it appears the FIA has chosen to make an example of the COTA promoter as it highlighted: “There have now been a number of track incursions in recent times and that the safety of the public is of paramount importance to the sport.”

Read Next: Toto Wolff calls out ‘outrageous’ Red Bull bib device after paddock demonstration