COTA faces €500,000 penalty for fan safety breach
Circuit of the Americas faces €500,000 fine after 200 fans breached safety protocols during the US Grand Prix cooldown lap, highlighting growing concerns over track invasions at Formula 1 events worldwide.
Safety protocols breached as approximately 200 spectators entered circuit during cooldown lap, prompting FIA investigation and suspended penalty
A serious breach of safety protocols at the United States Grand Prix has resulted in a substantial financial penalty for the Circuit of the Americas (COTA).
Rrace organizers face repercussions for a premature track invasion during Sunday's Formula 1 race.
Spectator safety compromise
The FIA has imposed a €500,000 fine on US Race Management and COTA officials after approximately 200 fans accessed the circuit while cars were still completing their cooldown laps.
The incident occurred when spectators from the main straight grandstand scaled a two-meter fence before navigating both a catch fence and trackside barrier to reach the racing surface.
In response to the breach, circuit representatives were summoned before the FIA stewards, where it was determined that the event had violated the International Sporting Code by
"failing to take reasonable measures thus resulting in an unsafe situation."
Penalty structure and requirements
Of the total fine, €350,000 has been suspended until December 31, 2026, conditional upon no further track incursions occurring at FIA-sanctioned events at the Texas venue.
The stewards' decision to suspend the majority of the fine took into account that this marked COTA's first such security breach.
The circuit must now submit a comprehensive remediation plan to the FIA before year's end, detailing preventative measures and conducting a thorough assessment of potential incursion points around the 5.5km track.
While the venue's existing spectator access protocols were deemed well-structured, officials identified a critical oversight in securing the main straight area that led to Sunday's dangerous situation.
Growing concern across F1 venues
The COTA incident represents the latest in a series of track invasion issues plaguing Formula 1 events.
Earlier this season, Canadian Grand Prix organizers faced FIA scrutiny following similar fan incursions, while the 2023 season saw significant breaches at both the Australian and Brazilian Grands Prix.
The severity of last year's Melbourne incident prompted local organizers to implement a complete ban on their traditional track invasion for this year's Albert Park event.
The FIA has recommended allocating the non-suspended portion of COTA's fine to motorsport safety initiatives under their Safety Department's supervision.
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