Police have arrested an unidentified man who was captured on live footage sauntering on the race track midway through the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix (GP) on Sunday (Sep 20).
Lap 38/61: A man takes a very dangerous stroll track-side before jumping away. Safety car out #SingaporeGP pic.twitter.com/YUfXYY2TGY
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 20, 2015
At about 1am, police confirmed a 27-year-old man was arrested for Rash Act and is now assisting with investigations.
The individual, who was clad in a T-shirt and boardshorts, strolled along the side of the Esplanade Drive section of the Marina Bay Street Circuit, where cars reach top speeds of 290km/h.
Bae: Come over Guy: I can’t. I’m at the Singapore Grand Prix Bae: My parents aren’t home Guy: pic.twitter.com/w8CsWYIJlD
— Shen (@SeanieR38) September 20, 2015
Then-race leader Sebastian Vettel, who eventually won, radioed his team shouting: “There is a man on the track, there is a man on the track.” Runner-up Daniel Ricciardo also told his team that the individual “was taking a video”.
The safety car was immediately deployed onto the race track but after a brief amble, the man hopped back into the stands.
“I had to look again as I wasn’t sure if I had a problem with my eyesight and that I actually saw somebody crossing the track,” Vettel told reporters.
“The team said on the radio that someone was on the track, I think I saw him take a picture so I hope it was a good one at least… in focus.
“It was pretty crazy though, we approach that corner at around 280-290 clicks (km per hour) so I wouldn’t be crossing the track if I was him but it was good to see the safety car come out straight away.
“Maybe next season we need to block the grandstands a bit better and fortunately nothing happened to us and nothing happened to him. It was pretty odd, not what you expect to see when you come around to the next corner.”
Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo, who finished runner-up to Vettel, was not impressed by the intrusion, saying the introduction of the safety car might have cost him a chance of winning the race .
“Thanks to the guy on the track…appreciate it!” Vettel joked. “I was tempted to swerve – clip him!”
Shortly after the incident, another spectator at the Singapore GP tweeted a photo of a separately open and unmanned gate to the track.
No marshalls at these kind of gates no wonder he got on track pic.twitter.com/oB6ohiQu7x
— Dinalli (@Dinalli) September 20, 2015
Similar invasions, while uncommon, have happened in the past, raising concerns about security at Formula One races.
An Irish former priest ran onto the track during the 2003 British Grand Prix while a disgruntled Mercedes Benz employee invaded the Hockenheim track during the 2001 German Grand Prix.
Earlier this year, a spectator ran across the track in front of cars travelling at 260km/h during practice for the Chinese Grand Prix.
Apprehended by security and handed over to police, he explained that he had wanted to drive one of the cars.
Source: www.channelnewsasia.com
