Six in court over Formula 1 British Grand Prix track invasion

The defendants were not required to enter pleas at Northampton Crown Court on Friday.

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez leading McLaren’s Lando Norris and Mercedes Lewis Hamilton during the British Grand Prix 2022 at Silverstone, Towcester (Bradley Collyer/PA) (PA Wire)

Six people have appeared in front of a crown court judge charged over a track invasion at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

David Baldwin, 46, Emily Brocklebank, 23, Alasdair Gibson, 21, Louis McKechnie, 21, Bethany Mogie, 40, and Joshua Smith, 29, have all been charged with conspiracy to cause public nuisance.

Protesters stormed the Wellington Straight, the fastest point of the Northamptonshire track, before sitting down during the opening lap of the race on July 3.

Left to right, Emily Brocklebank, David Baldwin, Bethany Mogie and Alasdair Gibson arrive at Northampton Crown Court (Joe Giddens/PA) (PA Wire)

A previous court hearing heard demonstrators entered the track wearing orange tracksuits bearing the message “Just Stop Oil”.

The contest had already been suspended following Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu’s high-speed crash, but a number of cars sped by.

None of the defendants were required to enter a plea at Northampton Crown Court on Friday.

McKechnie and Smith, both of Manchester, were remanded into custody ahead of a plea hearing on October 3.

Baldwin, of Witney, Oxfordshire; Brocklebank, of Yeadon, Leeds; Gibson, of Aberdeen; and Mogie, of St Albans, Hertfordshire, were granted bail until the same date.