Abu Dhabi GP security stops Swiss diplomat for F1 pass issue. At the Abu Dhabi GP, strict security measures led to a Swiss diplomat being stopped at the F1 paddock.

F1 Abu Dhabi GP: No pass, no entry – Swiss diplomat stopped

Security at Abu Dhabi is extremely strict and selective. Beyond the standard entry checks at the circuit, which require cars to pass through explosive detection systems, anyone entering the paddock must undergo a metal detector screening and potentially a personal search. Only after these steps is it possible to reach the turnstiles, where access is granted solely to those wearing a valid F1 pass around their neck.

On Sunday morning, early in the day, a Mercedes belonging to the Swiss diplomatic corps, complete with a prominently displayed flag on the hood, successfully passed the first and second security checks. However, it ran into trouble with a Pakistani staff member in charge of pass verification. When the high-profile occupant was requested—in a less than polite manner by the official, who said, “Lower the window, don’t waste my time”—and presented a series of passes, including some VIP gold credentials, there was no way around the procedure.

The car was stopped, moved aside, and the diplomat had to get out and queue with regular fans and attendees, without any possibility of skipping ahead or using alternative credentials. Usually, officials are not this strict with large SUVs carrying local plates and tinted windows that aggressively flash past other cars on the road, often exceeding speed limits. In such cases, the occupants might belong to a royal family, and a diligent security officer could end up sending them on a flight to Pakistan or India without hesitation.

But on Grand Prix weekend, when it comes to the sacred paddock pass, even diplomats discover that in Abu Dhabi the rulebook really is the rulebook.