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FIA seeks answers on Singapore track invader

NEWS STORY
21/09/2015

Not for the first time, a 'fan' has caused chaos during a Grand Prix by walking on to the track.

In 2000, a disgruntled Mercedes employee (not Lewis Hamilton) walked across the track during the German Grand Prix, while de-frocked priest Neil Horan had to be wrestled to the ground after running on the Hangar Straight during the British Grand Prix.

Earlier this year, a spectator - one of only 836 - at the Shanghai International Circuit for Friday practice, ran across the track in the belief that access to trackside was included in the price of his ticket.

Then came yesterday's incident when a man strolled across the track and then calmly proceeded to walk along the length of one of the straights before he was spotted by Sebastian Vettel. In moments the second Safety Car of the day was deployed.

The man, thought to be British (groan), and under the affluence on incahol (groan), was subsequently arrested.

"We are awaiting a full report from the clerk of the course in order to determine the circumstances surrounding this incident," said the FIA in a statement.

"I had to look again because I wasn't sure whether I had a problem with my eyesight or I saw somebody crossing the track," said Vettel at race end. "I went on the radio and said "some guy's running across the track!"

"I think I saw him taking a picture, I don't know," he continued. "I hope it was a good one at least. I hope it was in focus!

"Yeah, pretty crazy, we approach that corner at around 280-290klicks so, I don't know, I wouldn't cross the track if I was him. It was crazy, obviously, and we had a Safety Car straight away. Maybe in the next year we need to block the grandstands a bit better. Fortunately nothing happened to us and nothing happened to him - as far as I know. The other guys didn't see him, so I was the first one to come around."

"I think he did a pretty good job," added Daniel Ricciardo. "He was a quick runner, crossing from the right to the left but yeah, pretty odd. Obviously that's not what you expect when you come around, looking into the next corner."

"When I was watching F1 there was a scene in Hockenheim and then a couple of years later in Silverstone," added Vettel. "This guy was fairly boring. He could have dressed a little funny or something.

"Now we are joking about it, but it is fairly serious," the German admitted.

Check out our Sunday gallery, here.

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