especially with covid still being a thing and a thing that could keep them from driving/a paycheck.WTF?! Disgusting person
Like this is sexual assault, call it what it is. Hope she gets banned from the paddock. The responses to that tweet are disgusting
They should all do a Lewis and have a proper bodyguard tbh. Idk how they even expect them to focus when people are constantly charging in their faces 5 minutes before they need to get in the car let alone stuff like this happening. He’s been shamed for it for years but it’s pretty obvious it’s the way forward now
Ya I agree! The paddock isn’t the same as what it was a few years ago. I know DR got a bodyguard at one of the races last year because the paddock was crazy.
They definitely need it, the paddock last season was crazy
I think Max had one in the Netherlands too. More than anything, even when people aren’t necessarily doing anything overtly “wrong”, it’s just an inconvenience the drivers don’t need. People forget that they are just doing their jobs. Sometimes it must take them like half an hour just to get from the paddock gates into the hospitality and that’s just not practical, and it’s a shame because they’re always happy to sign stuff and take pictures in certain areas (like at the gates to the paddock) but now fans seem to be allowed everywhere which makes no sense because I’ve never really seen that before
Yup and if they’re recorded ‘snapping’ at somebody invading their space it’ll be all over social media and dissected and analysedThey definitely need it, the paddock last season was crazy
For one this and also people think just because they paid to get into paddock they can do whatever they want. I think there should be strict rules set.
I haven’t been to a race in years but when I did go, from what I remember it was only ever the ultra VIPs that were allowed that kind of access, mostly famous people that were invited. I never saw any ordinary fans. I don’t think I got within 500m of a driver tbh I’d see them getting into their cars on the grid and some of Parc Ferme from the stands but that’s it. You seem to be able to pay for “VIP” passes a lot easier nowadays (not easy as in money wise but more accessible)
this is honestly one of the weirdest parts about f1 to me....it is so rare in sports for fans to have such consistent access to athletes, especially just before a competition....they're trying to get into the right mindest before qualifying or a race and they have to travel from hospitality to the pits and deal with fans between that....i really cannot think of any other elite sport where this would be such a regular thing
Exactly? You’d never have it anywhere else, imagine a big group of screaming fans getting in Messi and Mbappes faces 5 minutes before they walked out for the WC Final, there’d be an outcry. The whole paddock seems like absolute chaos these last few years since covid, how they keep focused I never understand.
I agree i never understood why VIPs or regular people with loads of money have access to the paddock. The tickets should be for better seats, food, drinks or even some pre arranged stuff with drivers but have so many random people there for me its weird. Like you said in football you have none of that.
I remember in Suzuka (where fans are generally quite well-behaved compared to the other circuits) Yuki got mobbed by fans and the Alphatauri social media admin had to step in and get people to back up which isn't his job either. Obviously Yuki's a smaller guy but there's a very really physical risk to being crowded not to mention how uncomfortable it must be.
