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Very little could have been done to stop a spectator from being injured by debris in Sunday’s Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, say event organisers.
Will Sweet was watching the race from the outside of turn two, when he was hit by part of a wheel rim after Kevin Magnussen crashed his car.
The red flag was drawn after debris was strewn all over the circuit, some of which managed to make it over the catch fence.
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Australian Grand Prix Corporation boss Andrew Westacott, who will step down from his role midway through this year, said his circuit was compliant with FIA regulations, adding that this was a freak incident that was unavoidable.
“We actually, coincidentally, had one of our engineering staff there and saw it,” said Westacott.
“Anecdotally, it would appear the tyre hit (the wall), carbon fibre debris from the wheel hub has shot 20 metres or so up in the air, landed down and lacerated a gentleman’s arm.
“St John’s Ambulance were on the scene, that was called through to our GP command centre. Our people were aware of the incident.
“It looks as if it was a freak one-off because you can’t necessarily have these debris fences going 20 metres into the air.
“What I can say is the debris fences are consistent in height around the world. We’re compliant with our FIA regulations.”
Fences at FIA graded Formula 1 circuits globally are roughly three metres high.
While concrete walls and fences are designed to stop cars and debris exiting the circuit, incidents such as Magnussen’s where debris injures a spectator are rare.
Westacott said that even though there was little more the organisation could do, the incident would be investigated.
“Like everything in motorsport, and like everything in major events, you do debriefs at the end of the event and we’ll investigate and see what we can do to improve,” he explained.
“I hope the guy is okay, I’m glad his wife or fiance next to him wasn’t injured. It’s a reminder that safety is paramount when it comes to Formula 1 and motorsport more broadly.”
Sweet has told Nine’s Today, he was initially more gutted that his favourite driver was out of the race.
“I don’t know how it wasn’t worse, to be honest,” he said.
“I was lucky I had a small radio pressed up against my ear, so I had my arm lifted up. I managed to get hit in the arm instead of anything worse.”
Sweet said it was pure luck that he was the only person to be injured.
“I think he tapped the wall with his rear wheel, and it just shredded the rim,” he explained.
“He goes careering down the track, so I turned to my right. Apparently in front of him a piece of his wheel had flown up over the barrier and it hit me in the arm.
“It was the only bit that came over and I was the only one that got hit.”
In 2001, a trackside marshal, Graham Beveridge, died at Albert Park when he was struck by a flying wheel after an accident at turn three.
Sweet said the vantage point was a “fantastic spot” and it would be hard to prevent a repeat.
“It was far too big to go through the fence, so it must have gone up and over,” he said.
“If rules have to change I have no idea what (could be done).”
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