F1 launch investigation into pit-lane near-miss for Llando Norris during Miami GP

The latest incident comes a week after Esteban Ocon almost collided with a crowd of people in Azerbaijan

McLaren's Lando Norris in the pit lane during qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix at the Miami International Autodrome on May 6, 2023. EPA

Formula One's governing body has launched an investigation following another near-miss in the pit lane at Sunday's Miami Grand Prix.

A week after Alpine's Esteban Ocon almost collided with a crowd of people in Azerbaijan, footage has emerged of an official – understood to be a volunteer marshal – walking in front of Lando Norris as the British driver entered the pits in his McLaren.

The incident was on lap five of the 57-lap race and a FIA spokesperson told the PA news agency: “We are aware of the incident and are looking into it with local organisers.”

The alarming flashpoint followed a FIA review into pit-lane safety after Ocon said the sport narrowly avoided a “disaster” when he stopped for tyres on the final lap at the previous round in Baku.

An on-board camera from the French driver's car showed dozens of people – who had gathered at the entrance to the pit lane with the race still ongoing – scrambling to get out of his way.

“I’m arriving at 300 kph, braking very late and I see the barriers, I see the people around, this is crazy. It could have been a big, big one today,” Ocon said after the race.

“If I miss the braking point, it’s a big disaster. So a crazy moment. I’m sure the FIA has seen it and they will take action. If they don’t take action, I will go and speak to them.

“I had to brake, I had to avoid and it was pretty scary. Luckily it was all good. I had no idea that they were there. I've never seen that before.”

Ahead of last weekend's race in the US, the FIA updated its rule book to prevent “mechanics from moving from their garages to the parc ferme”, and “other personnel or VIPs from entering the pit lane, until the last car has taken the chequered flag”.

The FIA warned that “any infringement will result in the removal of passes from the team(s) in question from subsequent events, and potential reporting of the infringing team(s) to the stewards”.