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Senior Writer, F1
A man who triggered a mid-race safety car at the Singapore Grand Prix after breaking onto the track during the race has been arrested.
On lap 37, race leader Sebastian Vettel shouted on his radio "fan on track, fan on track" and the FOM cameras briefly showed a man in a t-shirt and shorts walking down the track at the Esplanade Bridge.
CCTV footage showed the man climbing feet first through a hole on the right-hand side of the track, walking slowly across the first half of the track before realising Vettel was exiting Turn 13 and running to the other side of the track. He then walked along the barrier as seven cars passed him at racing speeds before finding another hole in which he climbed through and off the circuit.
"The Singapore Police Force have confirmed that a 27-year-old man has been arrested and is assisting police with investigations," an FIA statement read.
"This follows an incident in which an unidentified man gained unauthorised entry to the Marina Bay Street Circuit during tonight's race.
"The man went on to the track near Turn 13, triggering the deployment of the Safety Car. We are awaiting a full report from the Clerk of the Course in order to determine the circumstances surrounding this incident."
The incident had no obvious impact on the outcome of the race, but nullified the strategies of drivers who were hoping to stretch out a longer middle stint on middle tyres such as Nico Rosberg.
It is the first time a fan has interfered with a race since the 2003 British Grand Prix, when a defrocked priest ran along the Hangar Straight. In 2000, a disgruntled Mercedes-Benz employee cost Mika Hakkinen and McLaren victory at the German Grand Prix when he ran across the track and triggered a safety car.