The Canadian Grand Prix got off to a rough start on Friday, leaving many fans upset and disappointed. The trouble began during the first free practice session when local police mistakenly told fans to leave the track, saying the session had been canceled. This caused immense confusion and frustration, as there was no official cancellation from the FIA. As a result of the same, F1 may be forced to pay fans anything between $100 and $15,000 in compensation.
Fans who had come to Île Notre-Dame in Montreal early for the practice sessions were told to leave the grandstand area at the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit. Many fans, who had paid a lot of money for their tickets, were understandably upset when they were told to leave and later not allowed back in.
According to Formula 1 photojournalist Kym Illman, fans took to social media to express their anger, claiming that local police had turned them away without any official word from Formula 1. Illman also mentioned that Formula 1 is very unhappy with the police’s actions. Formula 1 was scheduled to have a meeting with the police to get their side of the story.
ICYMI
Canadian fans were left furious yesterday after being told by the Montreal Police that FP1 and FP2 had been cancelled.
They were turned away at various locations, including the city’s metro stations.
Here is the full story.#CanadianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/y2Iok9ijCb
— Kym Illman (@KymIllman) June 8, 2024
Fans reported standing in line for hours in the rain, only to be turned away. Given that ticket prices for the Canadian Grand Prix range from $300 to $45,000, fans were furious and are now demanding refunds. F1 may have to refund them anything between $100 to $15,000 as this would be the approximate ticket fee for missing one day of action.
Free Practice in Canada was disrupted due to heavy storm
The first free practice session of the Canadian Grand Prix was affected by heavy rain and hail. The storm was so intense that the local police evacuated fans from the main grandstand and closed the bridges leading to the circuit.
The police then incorrectly told the fans that all Formula 1 activities for the day were canceled. This was not the case, as both FP1 and FP2 sessions eventually took place, though the first session was delayed while track marshals cleared standing water from the track.
Because of this misinformation, the grandstands appeared unusually empty during the practice sessions. Now, it’s clear that the empty stands were a result of the local authorities’ mistake. Fans who were turned away are now seeking refunds, which means Formula 1 might have to reimburse a significant amount of money.
