27-year-old man who walked on track during Singapore GP arrested for Rash Act

Police have arrested an unidentified man who was captured on live footage sauntering on the race track midway through the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix (GP) on Sunday (September 20). The 27-year-old man was arrested for Rash Act and is now assisting with investigations.

The Singapore Grand Prix Marina Bay Street Circuit

It happened during lap 37 of the 61-lap race. The individual, who was clad in a T-shirt and boardshorts, strolled along the side of the Esplanade Drive section of the Marina Bay Street Circuit, where cars reach top speeds of 290km/h.

The Esplanade stretch of the Singapore GP circuit

Then-race leader Sebastian Vettel, who eventually won, radioed his team shouting,

“There is a man on the track, there is a man on the track.”

Winner of the 2015 Singapore GP, Sebastian Vettel

The safety car was immediately deployed onto the race track but after a brief amble, the man hopped back into the stands.

Since 2015, the Mercedes-AMG GT is Formula One's safety car

Vettel later told reporters,

"I had to look again as I wasn't sure if I had a problem with my eyesight and that I actually saw somebody crossing the track. I think I saw him take a picture so I hope it was a good one at least. It was pretty crazy though, we approach that corner at around 280-290 clicks (km per hour) so I wouldn't be crossing the track if I was him.

He added,

"Maybe next season we need to block the grandstands a bit better and fortunately nothing happened to us and nothing happened to him. It was pretty odd, not what you expect to see when you come around to the next corner."

The Singapore Formula 1 Pit Building

Similar invasions, while uncommon, have happened in the past, raising concerns about security at Formula One races. An Irish former priest ran onto the track during the 2003 British Grand Prix while a disgruntled Mercedes Benz employee invaded the Hockenheim track during the 2001 German Grand Prix.

The Stamford Grandstand at the Singapore GP

And earlier this year, a spectator ran across the track in front of cars travelling at 260km/h during practice for the Chinese Grand Prix. Apprehended by security and handed over to police, he explained that he had wanted to drive one of the cars.

(All images - credit: Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licence)