Just Stop Oil protesters occupied the track at the start of last year’s British Grand Prix; The race had already been marked by a major crash at the first corner involving Zhou Guanyu, George Russell and Alex Albon.
Last Updated: 25/01/23 1:35pm
Alfa Romeo driver Guanyu Zhou of China has crashed at the start of the British Grand Prix
Just Stop Oil campaigners created a “horrendous threat” to Formula 1 drivers and race car drivers by entering the British Grand Prix last year, critics say.
The trial at Northampton Crown Court was shown in the car of drivers Yuki Tsunoda and Esteban Ocon passing three men and two women who had been towed from Silverstone’s Wellington Straight last July.
Video of Lewis Hamilton’s car driving past protesters shortly before the rail attack was also shown during the Crown’s opening speech – as well as videos provided by five of the six accused.
David Baldwin, 47, Emily Brocklebank, 24, Alasdair Gibson, 22, Louis McKechnie, 22, Bethany Mogie, 40, and Joshua Smith, 29, all deny causing trouble in the Northamptonshire area in July last year.
Brocklebank, Yeadon, Leeds; Gibson, in Aberdeen; Mogie, from St Albans; McKechnie, from Manchester; and Smith, from Lees in Oldham, went to the race area during the protests.
Baldwin, of Stonesfield, Oxfordshire, was found in the car park along with glue, cable ties and a Just Stop Oil banner and the Crown said he was “in the same vein” as his opponents.
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The British Grand Prix was red for one monster after a massive crash at the first corner sent Guanyu Zhou crashing into a fishing pole.
Opening the prosecution’s case on Wednesday, prosecutor Simon Jones told the court: “This case concerns the actions of six Just Stop Oil protesters.
“The prosecutors say that the defendants committed an act of public nuisance. When the events took place, the F1 Grand Prix had started and was under the red flag after a serious accident occurred at the very beginning.
“Every one of these opponents was at Silverstone and wanted to disrupt the race.
“It is not in dispute that five of the defendants in this case – all but David Baldwin – rode in the race and did not have permission to attend.
“There is no dispute about that, and he sat in front of the cars that were going ahead – the Formula 1 racing cars.
“They will no doubt say that this was done as a protest and to highlight what happened and ask them not to issue new oil and gas licenses.”
Footage from various camera angles covering Silverstone was played to the jury, as well as video footage from the five defendants recorded a day before the showdown, including claims that the world was being “destroyed for the benefit of a few people”.
Before the video was played in court, Mr Jones told the jury of seven women and five men: “You’re going to see when he got on the tracks, after waiting for the traffic to pass.
“Then you will see two Formula 1 racing cars passing the opposition…
“You’ll see marshals have to rush to the track and pull the protesters to the side.
“Prosecutors say there was a risk of serious injury. It was obvious that he would have been hit by speeding cars and the consequences are obvious.
“We are saying that his actions also posed a risk to drivers and operators.”
