The FIA, Formula 1’s governing body, has strongly criticized the wave of online hostility directed at its race stewards after they applied the sport’s regulations to penalize Alpine driver Franco Colapinto at Zandvoort.
Both Colapinto and Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad were hit with drive-through penalties for passing under double-waved yellow flags during the first lap of the Grand Prix.
Near the end of that lap, caution flags were waved following a significant accident involving Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, which slowed down the final marshalling sector up to the start-finish line.
The track returned to green conditions for the first half of the second lap before race control ultimately deployed a red flag. When the caution flags were shown, Colapinto overtook Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda as they came out of Zandvoort’s final corner, while Lindblad used the draft to pass Pierre Gasly’s Alpine before crossing the timing line, with both competitors having to dodge debris on the track.
In reference to the incident involving Colapinto, the stewards noted that Car 43 was positioned behind Car 22 as they entered Turn 14, and completed an overtake on Car 22 within the double yellow flag zone before reaching the finish line at the end of the first lap.
They added that while this type of infraction normally triggers a 10-second stop-and-go penalty, they took into account the challenging conditions caused by the extensive track debris, treating it as a mitigating factor.
An identically worded decision was issued by the stewards regarding Lindblad’s violation.
Arvid Lindblad representing Racing Bulls
Image credit: Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images
Colapinto considered the sanction to be highly severe, arguing that his pass on Tsunoda occurred just moments after the yellow flags were displayed. However, according to the strict wording of the regulations, the violations were clear-cut for both drivers, as the governing body maintains a strict stance on safety-related offenses.
Mercado Libre, Colapinto’s Argentine sponsor, took to social media with much harsher criticism, questioning the integrity of the FIA officials. Sean Summers, the brand’s chief marketing officer, stated that the stewards are undermining the credibility of F1, describing their performance this season as terrible and directly affecting race outcomes, while questioning if the issue lies in incompetence, dishonesty, or a fundamental cultural problem within the organization.
The sponsor’s highly critical remarks fueled further hostility online, leading to abusive threats aimed at the FIA stewards. Additionally, Alpine’s official social media accounts were targeted by a vocal group of Argentine supporters who felt the team did not sufficiently support Colapinto in the matter.
On Monday, Alpine stated that they place full trust in the FIA and the stewards to police the regulations and administer sporting penalties during live grand prix events.
They acknowledged that while the penalties for the opening-lap yellow flag infractions at Zandvoort were severe, they complied with the established rules, were handed out consistently to everyone, and represent a learning experience for the team.
Franco Colapinto driving for Alpine
Captured by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images
The FIA, which previously created the United Against Online Abuse initiative to combat harassment in sport, is reportedly reviewing its legal options and has issued a statement on the matter.
The statement explained that following the Dutch Grand Prix, FIA officials became the targets of online harassment after they handed down sporting penalties in accordance with the regulations.
The United Against Online Abuse Coalition made it clear that they condemn every form of harassment, stating that while disagreement with official decisions is a natural part of sports, it can never justify personal attacks or threats.
They noted that the coalition was first launched by the FIA in 2023 after an official was targeted following the United States Grand Prix, and they called on all fans and participants to interact with the sport respectfully and responsibly, both online and in person.
Among the hostile comments directed at the governing body were claims that Colapinto was penalized due to his nationality, with some fans alleging a bias against non-British competitors.
However, Lindblad, who received an identical penalty for a very similar infraction, is British.
