A weekend meant to celebrate the thrill of Formula 1 at Silverstone instead found itself in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, as well-known streamer Angry Ginge (Morgan Burtwistle) was arrested alongside fellow YouTubers Chazza (Charlie Clark) and SamHam (Samuel Imie) following an incident involving a historic Racing Point Formula 1 car.
The group, attending the British Grand Prix as spectators, were detained by Northamptonshire Police on suspicion of causing criminal damage after a video surfaced online showing an attempt to climb into the RP19 chassis on display.
The drama unfolded on Friday, when security staff at Silverstone reported that a classic Racing Point car had suffered thousands of pounds’ worth of damage. Police arrived at the scene and swiftly identified the three YouTubers as suspects. Burtwistle later posted about the ordeal, sharing his side of the story in a YouTube vlog titled “I got arrested at F1 Silverstone.”
He explained, “The car, it is there, me, Sam and Chazza have walked past it, and then we’ve stopped, ‘Oh, there’s people getting in and out of it, alright Chaz, you go and get in it.’ Because content creators, alright, create a funny moment, which it was a funny moment, until the cell door shut and weren’t laughing then let me tell you, I’m genuinely traumatised from what I went through there.”
British GP Weekend Marred by Off-Track Incidents
What was intended as a quick joke quickly escalated as security, acting on what they believed to be credible information, called police.
Burtwistle claims, “He doesn’t even get in the car, by the way, he doesn’t even sit in the car. He put his feet on the bottom platform and held himself up to make it look like he couldn’t get in, for a clip, that’s what he did. He didn’t even sit in the car.”
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Nevertheless, all three were detained for over 15 hours before being released without charges after an investigation found insufficient evidence of criminal intent.
Northamptonshire Police confirmed the arrests and subsequent release, stating: “Three men, aged 23, 25 and 27, were arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage to a vehicle and taken into police custody. Following a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the incident, all three men were released with no further action.”
The Silverstone weekend was further complicated by a separate theft, as police launched an investigation into the disappearance of a steering wheel from another classic F1 car at the circuit. Authorities are still appealing to the public for information and have circulated CCTV images in hopes of identifying a suspect.
Security Concerns and Social Media Stunts
The incident has raised new questions about access to F1’s heritage vehicles and the responsibilities of digital influencers at major sporting events. While Burtwistle and his friends maintain the act was harmless, the event organisers and fans have expressed concern over the safety of priceless racing memorabilia when crowds are present and security is stretched.
Reflecting on the aftermath, Burtwistle told followers, “For sitting in a car, they got us, you don’t do that at F1. They locked us up for watching somebody else sitting in a car… They tried to say. 30 grand, they tried to say…” His story, which quickly went viral, has opened debate about how social media antics can cross lines at highly regulated venues.
On the track, the weekend still delivered high drama for motorsport fans, with Lando Norris securing his maiden British Grand Prix victory for McLaren and Nico Hulkenberg celebrating a long-awaited first podium for Sauber. But for many at Silverstone, the off-track headlines were just as memorable as anything that happened between the lights and chequered flag.
