Pierre Gasly, Lando Norris have spoken about the fan interference in the F1 Mexico GP paddock due to the amount of people in there.
The fans in Mexico have been known to have massive amount of passion and it can be seen on TV and in person, how many of them make it into the grandstand and even inside the paddock. That area is usually restricted with only limited people allowed in.
But owing the Mexico GP paddock being smaller than others and more number allowed in, it becomes difficult. Post the practice crash of Charles Leclerc, the Monegasque – already in a bad mood – was swarmed by fans for photos and autographs on his way to the garage.
In general too, the moment anyone enters the paddock, they have host of fans waiting. It has been difficult to stage driver interviews as well where the media pen and or the motorhomes are packed with fans standing and waiting to meet the drivers.
AlphaTauri’s Gasly noted that he had his bag opened in the hospitality, something which happened in Austin too. The Frenchman agreed on the topic to increase security as he revealed that discussions were held in drivers’ briefing on the topic.
“I think letting people in is fine, but it’s true that I feel like some guests sometimes are not really respecting the space that we need,” Gasly said to written media. “People coming in garages before qualifying and asking for pictures when they are not even from our team. We are working here and obviously we give time for the fans when we can.
“This weekend I didn’t dare come out of the hospitality because otherwise you just know that you get mobbed and sometimes it gets quite hectic. I had my bag – which I arrived at the hospitality yesterday morning with, it had my passport – opened and I didn’t even feel it. Clearly it wasn’t me and it wasn’t my manager.
“When he saw that, he closed it straight away. But the same thing happened in Austin when I came out of the paddock. I just feel like at the moment we never had any security in F1 and maybe there is something we can do. But as I say, I’m always giving the maximum time to the fans, it’s not that we don’t want anyone, but just to find ways to make everybody happy.
“We talked about it in the drivers’ briefing. I think it’s great also to see kids and people really enjoying it, but just maybe finding a way where they can understand where to reach us and when to give us a bit more space,” summed up Gasly, whose feelings was echoed by McLaren’s Norris, who felt personal space needs to be shown.
“There’s not as much respect for just personal space and things like that as what there should be,” said Norris. “They should feel lucky enough to be in the paddock and get to be as close as they are to us. But we don’t want to do that. We were happy to do those things and we want to walk down the paddock and stuff.
“But there just needs to be a little bit more just respect from people for our personal space and boundaries and things,” summed up Norris, as local hero Sergio Perez agreed to the concerns but added that the Mexican fans don’t mean to harm anyone as they are just passionate about things in general and follow their instincts in showing it.
Here’s Nyck de Vries getting to test for AlphaTauri
Here’s news on Mexico GP extending its deal