The tourism minister of Quebec, Caroline Proulx, has admitted that she is “quite ashamed” by the chaos that left fans and F1 commentators criticising the Canadian Grand Prix.
In the build-up to race day, five environmental protesters were arrested for blocking traffic on a bridge in area, while communication issues between the Montreal police and race organisers left thousands of fans being delayed entry to the track on Friday and Saturday.
This continued on Sunday when the promoters, Octane Racing Group, were summoned to the FIA stewards after a large number of fans breached the security of the circuit while the race was still finishing.
Speaking to the Montreal Gazette, Proulx has shared the concerns that she had about the race weekend.
READ MORE: Five unforgettable Canadian GP moments including Lewis Hamilton’s blunder
Canadian Grand Prix described as ‘logistical mess’
The stewards revealed that a “large group of spectators managed to break security lines,” enabling them to access the track in several areas while cars were still on track.
This led to a breach of the FIA International Sporting Code regarding event safety measures, with the promoters required to present a remediation plan to address their concerns.
It is the second time that a race promoter has been found to have breached FIA protocol over spectator safety in the last 12 months after the organisers of the Australian Grand Prix were investigated over a similar matter.
A large group of spectators broke security lines and gained access to the track during the finish under Safety Car, while also reaching the stranded Haas of Nico Hulkenberg which had the ‘ERS red light’ to indicate it was in an unsafe condition.
Sky Sports F1 pundit and former driver, Martin Brundle, branded the Canadian Grand Prix organisation as a “logistical mess” in his column and highlighted that F1 had “outgrown the facilities” owing to its increased popularity worldwide.
Canadian minister ‘ashamed’ at how events unfolded
Responding to the widespread criticism of the race weekend in the Montreal Gazette, Proulx admitted that she was “ashamed” at how events unfolded for fans.
“I was ashamed. I was quite ashamed, and I have had some conversations with some people and we will have more in the coming days. I am ill-at-ease and I did not like what I witnessed this weekend. I don’t feel good. I don’t feel comfortable at all,” said Proulx.
“I am very ashamed of the international image and that of Montreal. I remind you the government of Quebec is the main supply of funding to the Canadian Grand Prix. I expect everyone to work for us to have the best grand prix.
“My job as minister is to bring tourists to Quebec. [For] the image of Quebec, image of Montreal, it’s my job to ensure they are perfect internationally, particularly for an event like the Canadian Grand Prix, that there are a billion viewers [tuning in].”
Canada has signed a deal for the race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve to be on the Formula 1 calendar until 2031, via Autosport.
Improvements need to be made to the way that the race is marshalled and the facilities that the teams have access to to avoid a situation like this happening again.
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