F1: Inquest told Melbourne safety barriers too low

An inquest into the death of a track marshall at the Australian Grand Prix in March has been told that safety barriers at the Albert Park circuit are too low.

Graham Beveridge, 52, died of a ruptured heart when a loose wheel flew through a narrow access gap in the trackside safety barrier after an accident.

He was struck in the chest as he stood behind the barrier further down from the gap.

Jacques Villeneuve collided with Ralf Schumacher during the Melbourne race on March 4 this year.

Villeneuve's BAR-Honda was hurled into the air and crashed into a fence, sending debris and all four wheels flying.

Safety engineer Mark Dohrmann told the inquest the 2.5m (8ft) high safety barrier - a concrete wall topped by a 1.5m (5ft) debris fence - should be doubled in height.

Dohrmann said: "I don't think that fence is high enough.

"It's possible for accidents to occur which cause bits of cars to fly off and get over that fence quite easily and travel a long way."

He said it was possible for an entire car to cartwheel over the top of the fence and to "float, fly and travel quite a distance."

The inquest was told the sport's governing body, the FIA, had considered a recommendation following the accident to raise barriers on new circuits by one metre.

But FIA vice-president John Large told the inquest by video link that the body's World Motorsport Council had not adopted the proposal because there was no evidence of debris going over the top of safety barriers at existing circuits.

The inquest, before coroner Graeme Johnstone, continues.