Formula 1 has risen tremendously over the past years in terms of user engagement, mass appeal, and promotional forum. It is invariably one of the biggest events on the sporting calendar and everyone from fans to celebrities is eager to have a taste of it. Especially with F1 now tapping new geographical zones through its presence, this chain is only growing exponentially. However, certain recent events have raised eyebrows over the access that celebrities hold during race weekends.
As the fans have noticed the entire season, this year’s Spanish GP was yet again a star-studded event. One particular star however who engaged a lot of traction was Brazilian footballer Neymar Jr. Notbaly, this was his second back-to-back weekend in the F1 paddock. He was also present among the illustrious list of celebrities who attended the Monaco GP. The forward did not partake in PSG’s game against Strasbourg which gave the club another league title.
“It is impossible to resist the charm of F1,” said Ney when asked about the same. Though the fans loved him around, many also criticized his presence on the race track right ahead of the race due to a safety threat. As noticed, Neymar was still positioned at the edge of the grass on the main straight as the formation lap for this year’s Spanish GP got underway.
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FIA will limit grid access to ensure safety across F1 and other Motor series
In a recent interview reported by the F1 website Motorsport, FIA chief Mohammad Ben Sulayem opened up about this recent issue. As per Sulayem, other motorsport including Formula E, and WEC also same similar challenges on a regular basis. As of now, F1 management allows a limited number of guests to stay back on track ahead of the build-up and preparations.
However, F1’s top management and FIA might think of slimming this number owing to the safety threat it poses. The World Motor Sport Council also released a statement addressing the issue that said, “Protecting the health and well-being of everyone on the grid – guests, officials, and teams – was the FIA’s priority”.
Responding to this, Sulayem said, “We must take learnings from the incident at the Spanish Grand Prix. The FIA has been assured by Stefano Domenicali [F1 CEO] that measures are being taken to ensure that there is no repeat of the incident. It is an issue not just in Formula 1 but also in Formula E and World Endurance Championship and other categories from my recent experiences with too many people on the grid at some events.”
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