Drivers relieved that Mexico has tightened security measures
F1 News
After safety concerns in 2022, the Mexican Grand Prix is trying a different approach this year by allowing fewer fans into the paddock. The F1 drivers are happy with this, although Alexander Albon thinks it should all be fine.
The 2022 Mexico Grand Prix was investigated by the FIA after the event. There were allegedly far too many people in the paddock, and drivers were quite inconvenienced in the process. Pierre Gasly, for example, said fans banged on his door in the (normally locked) hospitality, and his rucksack had been opened when he walked through the paddock.
It was overcrowded in the paddock last year, and that needs to change this year. The organisers have worked with the FIA and Formula 1 to restrict access to the paddock. That way, drivers and all other workers should be able to go back to 'normal' work.
Formula 1 drivers on paddock safety
"Last year was pretty chaotic in the paddock in general. It’s actually not been too bad today [Thursday]. But it's great to have all the passion that they have as Mexican fans, but also you have to give drivers some room," Guanyu Zhou informed. "We're all here to do a job and last year we were struggling just to get from our engineer's office to the garage without people jumping on us and sticking cameras right in our face and it was a bit of a strange environment, so I'm happy for the paddock to be packed as long as we've all got a sensible way through to get to where we've got to be," said George Russell.
In the press conference before, the drivers expressed a similar sentiment: "Yes, for me, it's easier, and I like it," Yuki Tsunoda was brief and to the point. Pierre Gasly concurred with his former teammate's comment after last year's remarks. Alexander Albon was more open.
"It's a tricky one. I do think we do need to make our sport as accessible as possible so I don't see such a big issue with people being in the paddock, but I do know there are obviously limitations to it. To be honest with you, I don't think the paddock has been that bad. For me it's more about just getting out of the paddock and just little things like you leave the paddock and almost run over people's feet because they're all coming onto your windows and everything," Albon said.