The FIA prohibits celebrations on the pit wall
Starting this weekend for the Australian Grand Prix, members of the various teams will no longer be allowed to climb the grids of the pit wall when the drivers pass at the finish line.
Before each Grand Prix weekend, the FIA publishes a note about the event regarding safety issues. For the Australian Grand Prix, a small novelty is emerging: starting from this weekend, members of the different teams will be formally prohibited from climbing on the fences of the pit wall when the cars pass at the end of the race.
The prohibition of climbing the stands’ fencing is specified in paragraph 8 of Race Director Niels Wittich’s directive. This prohibition comes after Red Bull and Aston Martin engineers were spotted on the last section of the fencing, leaning towards the track, at the conclusion of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, posing a risk of falling onto the track when cars pass by.
This ban therefore puts an end to an old tradition in Formula 1. From now on, in case of non-compliance with this directive, the teams will be summoned before the sporting commissioners, with a penalty as a consequence. However, engineers are still allowed to lean between the openings of the pit wall fences. In Melbourne, the wall is made of glass panels, allowing fans to see better what is happening in the pits.
