Former Driver Makes Plea to Keep Spectactors Close

Former Grand Prix driver Derek Warwick has voiced concerns that spectators are being dealt a raw deal as the rising speeds in Formula One continue to force crowds further from the tracks.

Briton Warwick believes the dangers of Formula One are continuously reducing but following the deaths of two marshals in the last six races, he hopes the FIA can find a better solution to trackside safety than putting further distance between the fans and the cars.

"I know we've had two marshals killed just recently and it's unacceptable," said Warwick. "Don't think nobody's doing anything about it because they are - but as an enthusiast I don't think we want to put the spectators any further back.

"I think they're pretty far back now. We don't want to move the spectators back into the next country otherwise they all may as well be viewing it from television. We don't want that. We want them to be close."

The ex-Lotus man is a true advocate of safety and after being a member of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association during his 147-race Grand Prix career, he continued his work with the Motor Sports Association working on circuit improvements.