FIA condemns online abuse of stewards after Zandvoort yellow-flag penalties
Summary
FIA condemns online abuse of stewards after Colapinto and Lindblad were penalized for yellow-flag overtakes at Zandvoort, as Alpine's sponsor questions officials' integrity.
The FIA has condemned online abuse aimed at its race stewards after they penalized Franco Colapinto and Arvid Lindblad for yellow-flag overtakes at Zandvoort.
Why it matters:
The backlash shows how safety-related penalties can trigger toxic fan reactions, testing the FIA's United Against Online Abuse campaign. The governing body is drawing a line between disagreement and harassment.
The details:
- Both drivers got drive-through penalties for overtaking under double-waved yellows on lap 1, after Max Verstappen's crash left debris on track.
- Stewards cited debris as mitigating but ruled the infringements clear-cut.
- Colapinto called his penalty "extremely harsh"; his sponsor Mercado Libre's CMO Sean Summers accused stewards of "incompetence" and "dishonesty."
- Alpine said it trusts the FIA, calling the penalties "harsh" but consistent.
- Some fans claimed bias against non-British drivers, but Lindblad is British.
What's next:
The FIA's United Against Online Abuse Coalition urges fans to engage with respect. The episode will likely intensify the debate over penalty consistency, but the FIA shows no sign of softening its stance on safety-related infringements.
Original Article :https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/fia-condemns-online-abuse-f1-stewards-followi...