British Grand Prix 2022: Who are the protestors at Silverstone?

Ben Miller

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British Grand Prix 2022: Who are the protestors at Silverstone? image

A record crowd of around 120,000 is expected at Silverstone on Sunday for race day at the Formula One British Grand Prix 2022.

Approximately 400,000 people are thought to have headed to the Northamptonshire home of F1 racing in the UK over the entire weekend.

Amid one of the largest organisational and security operations of the year, police announced that they believed a potentially high-profile protest was planned during the race.

Images then emerged of individuals on the track after the race had started and then been red-flagged due to a major crash involving Zhou Guanyu, apparently having scaled perimeter fences.

After the group sat down on the circuit, police arrived swiftly and removed them, according to journalist Helena Hicks.

Who are the protestors at Silverstone?

Just Stop Oil, a group campaigning against the use of fossil fuels, claimed responsibility for the protest.

The group had caught headlines this week when two members glued themselves to famous paintings in art galleries, including a Vincent van Gogh work at the Courtauld Gallery in London and one by JMW Turner at the Manchester Art Gallery

Posting on Twitter on Sunday, the group said: "We are demanding the government stop all new fossil fuel licensing. The future of our species depends upon it.

"It is our duty to cause disruption and draw attention to our demand. We will continue to resist until our demand is met."

In response to a Twitter user suggesting they had put lives at risk, the group said: "The race was already delayed by a horrible accident. The Just Stop Oil supporters went on to the track during the pause in the race."

Northants Police revealed this week they had "credible intelligence" that protestors were planning to invade the track during the race to make their point.

Long-held concerns about the impact of the sport on the planet have been growing because of the climate crisis.

F1 has been trying to improve its image around the issue. In 2019, leaders committed to being net carbon zero by 2030 and published an extensive report showing that the sport produces 256,000 tons of CO2 emissions each season.

Aston Martin driver Sebastian Vettel has been the most prominent figure to address the debate, including wearing a t-shirt warning that the 2060 Miami race will be under water if more action is not taken now.

Vettel has described teams and drivers — including himself — as hypocrites over climate change and answered questions on the impact of burning fossil fuels and team transportation.

Among the changes Vettel wants to see, the champion in consecutive seasons between 2010 and 2013 says Formula One should change the schedule so that races are not criss-crossing the globe, leaving a considerable environmental footprint.

What have organisers said about the protest?

Silverstone chief executive Stuart Pringle said he was confident that the "overriding priority" of a "safe and secure event for the fans" would go smoothly.

"We work closely with Northamptonshire Police and the emergency service agencies to put plans and procedures in place to ensure we are fully prepared to handle such situations," he added.

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"As is the case at every major event, we must remain vigilant and ask all at Silverstone to act as our eyes and ears and report anything suspicious to a steward."

What are police doing about the protests?

Chief Inspector Tom Thompson, the event commander, took the step of posting about the force's information on Facebook.

“First of all, I want to appeal directly to this group of people and strongly urge you to not put yourselves, the drivers, as well as the many marshals, volunteers and members of the public, at risk," Thompson said.

“Going onto a live racetrack is extremely dangerous – if you go ahead with this reckless plan, you are jeopardising lives."

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Ferrari

Thompson also appealed to the public to point out anything untoward to officials, said "stringent" measures are in place and warned that "anyone thinking of taking advantage of the race weekend to commit a crime will be caught".

The force had already drafted in extra personnel because of the scale of the event, and Thompson said police would happily help "facilitate a peaceful protest" if protesters contacted the authority.

Have there been protests at past Formula One events?

Arguably the most memorable incursion at the British Grand Prix happened in 2003, when a priest, Cornelius Horan, walked on to the track to proclaim his belief that the end of the world was coming, forcing drivers to swerve around him at high speed.

Horan was jailed for two months over the incident and went on to disgrace himself at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, where he pushed marathon race leader Vanderlei de Lima to the side of the road four miles from the finish.

The invader carried a white placard with the message: "The Grand Prix priest. Israel fulfillment of prophecy says the bible, the second coming is near."

Police said Horan had been in a taverna and was drunk. "If it were not for that lunatic, I am sure I would have won the gold," said De Lima, who was subsequently overtaken and finished third.

"The attack really surprised me because I did not think I was his target. He did not injure me but he broke my rhythm and I lost concentration. I didn't know if he had a weapon or what his intention was."

Four members of environmental protest group Extinction Rebellion were arrested in 2020 when they broke into the Silverstone circuit and hung a banner calling for action during a race that was being held without fans at the height of the Covid pandemic.

Extinction Rebellion says Formula One is the epitome of an organisation creating unnecessary emissions, disturbing nature and threatening the future of modern civilisation.

Ahead of a 'Formula 0' bicycle ride by the group on the afternoon of the 2021 Dutch Grand Prix, Vettel said: "We are living in a time where it is important to raise attention and that's what they are doing, so I think that's good.

"There are a lot of things that Formula 1 is planning to do, some small things that Formula 1 is taking action on, which is good. But is it enough? No, it's not enough.

"It's very different in every single country and some countries are further along than others, some people are further along in their heads in addressing this topic than others.

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"But as a whole of humanity, are we doing enough? Probably not. It is [important] that we understand what is at stake. And if we don"t get it, then I think there is no future."

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton said at the time: "Naturally, things don't change overnight.

"I think it's great that F1 are accepting and hold themselves responsible and realising that they do need to make changes moving forwards.

"As drivers, we rely on F1 and the organisers to make sure that we're trying to have a positive impact on the places we go to."

Ben Miller

Ben Miller Photo

Ben Miller has been writing about sport for 25 years, following all levels of football as well as boxing, MMA, athletics and tennis. He’s seen five promotions, three relegations, one World Cup winner and home games in at least three different stadiums as a result of his lifelong devotion to Brighton & Hove Albion. His main aim each week is to cover at least one game or event that does not require a last-minute rewrite.