Priest who invaded track at British Grand Prix also ran amok at the Olympics
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The British Grand Prix is looming with hundreds of thousands of F1 fans set to converge on Silverstone.
The home of British motorsport has been the scene of some of the most memorable moments in F1 history, including Nigel Mansell’s stunning overtaking move on Nelson Piquet in 1987 and Lewis Hamilton’s incredible wet-weather win in 2008, the first of his eight Silverstone triumphs.
There have also been moments of controversy and great danger. In 2003, the fans at Silverstone and millions watching around the world witnessed both as priest Cornelius Horan somehow got onto the track and ran into the path of F1 cars at the fastest part of the circuit, where speeds reach around 200mph.
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At least 13 cars whizzed past Horan, with most having to take evasive action or slow down. Wearing a kilt, green waistcoat and hat, Horan ran down the Hangar Straight holding a banner which read “Read the Bible. The Bible is always right.”
He was eventually tackled by brave marshal Stephen Green, who sprinted onto the track, shoved Horan to the floor and then dragged him away from danger. By that stage the safety car had been called, changing the complexion of the race which was won by the Ferrari of Rubens Barrichello.
Horan was arrested and sentenced to two months in prison, but that failed to deter him from further protests at major sporting events. At the 2004 Epsom Derby, he was intercepted moments before the start of the race, with police believing he was about to run in front of the horses.
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Later that summer he was at it again, running onto the course during the men’s marathon at the Olympic Games in Athens displaying banners on his front and back. He even shoved race leader Vanderlei de Lima into the crowd before being hauled off the Brazilian by a Greek spectator.
De Lima lost around 20 seconds due to the incident and eventually finished third. He said: “I think that the psychological shock was the greatest impact that I suffered. To be attacked like that was painful. I was totally defenceless and exhausted.”
Horan was given a 12-month suspended sentence by a Greek court and fined 3,000 euros. In 2006, he was arrested by German police, having written to Chancellor Angela Merkel and Irish newspaper The Kingdom informing them of his plan to protest at the football World Cup in Germany.
He told The Kingdom he would carry posters declaring “Adolf Hitler was a good leader who was following the word of Christ”, give the Nazi salute and light a candle for Hitler at the Gestapo headquarters. He spent two months in custody awaiting trial but was released in September 2006 when the judge discharged the case.
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