The governing body for Formula 1 has fined the organizers of the United States Grand Prix nearly $550,000 after a group of fans invaded the track at the Circuit of the Americas while cars were still completing their cooldown lap after Sunday’s race.
The FIA reported that around 200 spectators from the grandstand near the pit lane climbed a fence, dropped about 6 feet, and then cleared another fence and barrier to reach the track. Fans can enter this area for postrace celebrations, but only after all cars have left the track.
Invading the track early is seen as a serious safety issue.
Race officials fined the organizers for “failing to take reasonable measures, thus resulting in an unsafe situation.”
Track president Bobby Epstein mentioned that his team “will review the video” but did not provide any further comments.
The track must submit a plan to the FIA by the end of the year to prevent future invasions and conduct a review of the entire venue to find and fix any potential safety issues.
The FIA suspended about $378,000 (350,000 euros) of the fine until December 31, 2026, as long as no other track invasion issues occur at COTA during the 2025 and 2026 grand prix events.
The FIA also noted that part of the fine was suspended because this was the first time there had been a security breach at the track.
