F1 News

Chaos in Mexico: drivers call for more respect

30 October 2022 at 15:23
Last update 30 October 2022 at 17:14
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  • GPblog.com

Mexican fans are excited. Very enthusiastic. So enthusiastic that it is now starting to create annoyance among the drivers. So things must change, there is the call.

Normally, the paddock is a place where a Formula 1 driver can move around fairly easily. Of course, there are plenty of requests for a selfie or an autograph, but generally it is done with a lot of respect. A no is a no, and everyone understands that. In Mexico, things are a little different this weekend. Not only do the fans in the grandstands go crazy if they see a driver, in the paddock things are hectic as well. VIPs storm the drivers as soon as they get the chance.

Space needed

It was already leading to strange scenes. On Saturday, for instance, just before qualifying, AlphaTauri had a group of fans standing in the middle of the garage, asking for a photo. Similarly, Pierre Gasly was swarmed by fans when he arrived at the track on Friday morning. Suddenly, he realised his bag had been opened. How? No idea, but it didn't feel nice. “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,” said Gasly in conversation with The Race.

Daniel Ricciardo thinks there should be etiquette on how to behave in the paddock. “If they set some guidelines, maybe that helps because there isn’t that at the moment,” he said. “If it’s just a bit of awareness, then maybe they’ll be a little more cool. I don’t want to see it change. Adults need to act like adults.”