A young man is said to have trespassed into the high security zone of the Marina Bay Street Circuit during last weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, and as a result, he faces a jail term of three months. The Swedish native is reported to have entered the pit lane, where officials nabbed him.
While the intention behind the breach remains unclear, RacingNews365 reported that the 22-year-old man managed to enter the paddock on Saturday, the day meant for qualifying. He also made it through to the VIP section of the Paddock Club, but in the evening, he was apprehended after trespassing into the pit lane.
Legal action was taken against the accused the day after the Grand Prix, and he now faces jail time and a fine of SGD 1,500 ($1160), which will be decided by the court next month on 3 November. Security breaches at Grand Prix venues put drivers and team members under significant threat, especially if the cars are out on the track.
Last year, the promoter of the United States Grand Prix was fined after approximately 200 fans invaded the Circuit of the Americas during the cooldown lap after climbing a barrier and a 1-meter wall. The FIA acknowledged that security measures did not consider a potential track invasion scenario, which led to the major security breach.
€350,000 of the €500,000 fine remains suspended until December 31, 2026, but only on the condition that such incidents are not repeated during FIA-sanctioned events. Newsweek Sports reported the contents of the steward’s letter, which stated:
“Fact: A large group of spectators, estimated at approximately 200 people, in the grandstand alongside 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 cool down lap after the chequered flag.
“Offence: Breach of Article 12.2.1.h of the 2024 FIA International Sporting Code i.e. failure to take reasonable measures thus resulting in an unsafe situation.”
It also added: