An investigation into the death of a marshal at the Australian Grand Prix last March is likely to clear local organisers, Formula One sources said today.
International Automobile Federation (FIA) spokesman Francesco Longanesi was not able to confirm or deny a story in Australian newspaper, the Herald Sun, on Sunday that said a confidential FIA report had cleared organisers of blame.
He said he had not seen the FIA report referred to but that the world body had said after the race that it considered the death of local race marshal Graham Beveridge to have been a freak accident.
Beveridge died of chest injuries after being hit by a flying wheel from the wreckage of a collision between Canadian Jacques Villeneuve's BAR and German Ralf Schumacher's Williams at the Melbourne race.
The Herald Sunsaid the FIA was not able to release the findings of its report until an inquest in Victoria state had been concluded.