The first lap of the British Grand Prix could have turned into a tragedy. While the race was stopped after a spectacular pileup involving in particular Guanyu Zhou, who ended up on the roof, then in the security fences, another incident marked the spirits. Several people tried to enter part of the track, at the end of the first sector.
These people were, for some, put on the ground by the security services of the circuit, others were seen carrying out a “sitting” where the cars should have passed a few seconds later. But the hiatus after the crashes at the first corner led to the single-seaters arriving in slow motion between the fifth and sixth corners. “We can confirm that after the red flag several people tried to re-enter the trackcommunicated the International Automobile Federation. These people were immediately removed and this problem is now being handled by the local authorities.“
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has ruled “completely irresponsible and dangerous” the intrusion of environmental activists. “Everyone has the right to speak out on issues, but no one has the right to put lives at risk”said the Italian on the British channel Sky Sports.
The activist group Just Stop Oil, committed to climate protection and which regularly calls on the British government to act to find alternatives to oil, claimed to be behind this intrusion. “If you are more outraged by this disturbance than by our world going up in flames right before our eyes, then you need to get your priorities straight.reacted Just Stop Oil. We demand that the government call for an immediate halt to new oil and gas projects in the UK and we will continue to disrupt sporting and cultural events and oil installations until this demand is met. How many more young people need to step up before the government listens?“
We will not be spectators to government inaction. There can be NO NEW OIL in the UK. And whilst there is, action will continue. #BritishGP2022 #Formula1 #F1 #JustStopOil pic.twitter.com/5c1HXuWoXk
— JustStopOil (@JustStop_Oil) July 3, 2022
For several days, the local police had been worried about a possible intervention of this kind, explained the chief inspector of Northamptonshire, Tom Thompson to the ITV channel on Friday. The police had even tried to negotiate with certain activist groups to allow them to display their fight, without disrupting the race.
Other events have given rise to protests by environmental activists or for the animal cause in recent months, such as during the Roland-Garros semi-final between Casper Ruud and Marin Cilic, Premier League football matches, or even NBA playoffs.