FIA condemns abuse after Colapinto penalty row
"It must never justify threats or personal attacks"
The FIA has now stepped into the controversy triggered by Franco Colapinto’s Dutch GP penalties and the furious reaction from his sponsor Mercado Libre.
Colapinto had criticised the stewards after receiving two yellow flag penalties at Zandvoort, while Mercado Libre chief marketing officer Sean Summers went much further by accusing FIA officials of "killing the integrity of F1" and questioning whether the problem was "incompetence" or "dishonesty".
Alpine subsequently distanced itself from those remarks while still describing Colapinto’s penalties as "harsh".
Now the FIA-backed United Against Online Abuse coalition has issued a statement after stewards were targeted personally online.
"Following the Dutch GP, FIA stewards were targeted with online abuse after applying sporting penalties in line with FIA regulations," it reads.
"The United Against Online Abuse coalition condemns all forms of abuse and harassment. Disagreement with decisions is part of sport, but it must never justify threats or personal attacks."