Hungary Vows No Repeat of Silverstone Interloper

The organisers of next month's Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix have promised there will be no repeat of the dangerous scenes that marred Sunday's British round of the World Championship.

The race at Silverstone was interrupted when a kilted Irishman ran down the track brandishing slogans. The 56-year-old was arrested and charged with aggravated trespass.

"We won't allow this to happen here in Hungary," Hungaroring race director Laszlo Palik told Reuters on Monday. "This kind of thing puts drivers' lives at risk and is simply unacceptable."

Palik said more than 5 km (3 miles) of new fencing had been put up around the Hungaroring as part of the track's reconstruction. Other changes to the track, which has hosted a GP since 1986, include extending the finishing straight by over 200 metres and straightening out a bend.

These changes have been made to counter International Automobile Federation (FIA) and driver criticism that the track was too slow and did not offer much room for overtaking.

Hungary, which has a good F1 safety record, last year won the F1 Constructor Association's award for the best organised GP. Formula One's technical director Charlie Whiting visited the Hungaroring last week and gave the revamp the thumbs up.

Peter Gerstel, head of ticketing at the Hungaroring, said that, four weeks ahead of the August 17 race, ticket sales were 35 percent down on last year - when Michael Schumacher already had his fifth F1 Championship sewn up.

Total weekend attendance at last year's GP was 180,000.