F1 fan suffers freak injury as flying debris from car slices man’s arm

A Formula One fan was injured after a piece of debris sliced his arm at the Australian Grand Prix. Spectator Will Street had his arm cut by a piece of Kevin Magnussen’s wheel rim after the Haas star crashed in the closing stages.

The Dane ran wide at turn one and struck the wall which dislocated his rear right tyre which was sent rolling down the track. However, shards of carbon fibre went into the crowd which was positioned just yards away from the side of the race track.

Organisers have claimed pieces were thrown a staggering 20 metres in the air. Speaking to Australia’s Channel 7, Street explained: “I’m in a bunch of F1 group chats and the first thing they said Will’s going to be devastated because Kevin’s lost his wheel.

“I was like ‘I think I found it’ because it came screaming over the fence and hit me.” Australian Grand Prix promoter Andrew Westacott admitted the incident acted as a “reminder” that safety was vital.

However, he maintained the event was safe with the circuit fully compliant with F1 rules. He explained: “It looks like it was a freak one-off.

“We actually coincidentally had one of our engineering staff there who saw it, and anecdotally it would appear that debris carbon fibre from the wheel hub has shot 20 metres or so in the air, shot up, landed down and lacerated a gentleman’s arm.

“Our people were aware of the incident. It looks as if out was a freak one-off, because you can’t necessarily have these debris fences going 20 metres in the air. The debris fences are consistent in height around the world.

“We’re compliant in our FIA regulations, but like everything in motorsport, you do debriefs at the end of the event and see what you can do to improve. I hope the guy is okay. It’s a reminder that [safety] is paramount when it comes to Formula One.”

The accident comes 22 years after F1 marshal Graham Beveridge was killed after being hit by debris at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix. He was struck by a tyre after a high-speed shunt involving Ralf Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve at turn three.