 Australian GP Boss Promises More Safety for 2004 Tuesday March 11th, 2003 Australian Grand Prix chairman Ron Walker has promised to improve safety measures at next year's Albert Park event after fans were forced to scale security fences to avoid getting crushed. The race organisers raised the mesh barriers around the circuit from 2.5 metres to 4.75 metres for this year's event after a crash at 2001's race claimed the life of marshal Graham Beveridge. But at least 12 people were forced to climb the fences as thousands of fans pushed through the turnstiles to celebrate the surprise victory of McLaren-Mercedes driver David Coulthard. "Our staff saw what some were doing and yelled at them to come down," said Walker. "Next year that definitely won't happen again - we will have more staff controlling the people so they go through in an orderly way." In 1992 the British Grand Prix organisers got into hot water for crowd trouble at Silverstone when one fan stormed the track in front of home hero Nigel Mansell as the victorious Williams driver rounded the final corner. Thousands of fans then flooded the track before the slowing-down lap was complete and several cars were left stranded around the circuit but the FIA still allow fans onto the track once the race is finished.
Published at 14:43:59 GMT
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