After accusations of abuse in the bleachers, including booing of racers and cheering of accidents, Christian Horner shared his opinion on the latest F1 fan behaviour.
The unsavoury crowd behaviour that has lately made headlines is something Christian Horner is confident F1 can find a way to overcome because it “doesn’t belong” in the motorsport.
The Austrian Grand Prix weekend saw a number of alarming incidents of fan abuse, which sparked outrage among the paddock.
F1 confirmed the “inappropriate” action in a release before the race, and event planners and security are also conducting their own investigations.
Red Bull racer Max Verstappen responded by calling some of the articles he read “shocking,” and Mercedes team manager Toto Wolff advised rowdy supporters to “remain at home.”
Horner shares his opinion on the crowd behaviour in Formula One
Supporters have been heard booing specific racers at current events in addition to the insults directed trackside and celebrating accidents.
Following Verstappen’s booing at Silverstone, Hamilton’s qualifying collision at the Red Bull Ring was cheered by onlookers.
In response to a question about his thoughts on the current issue, Horner told the media, including RacingNews365.com: “I think regarding these isolated incidents that have happened, obviously we do not condone abuse or bullying or racism or prejudice in any way, shape or form.
“I think we stand absolutely united with every member of the F1 community on that.
“I was pleased to hear on the podium that, certainly from where I stood, there was no booing for Lewis; there was respect for all the drivers, which is how it should be.”
Horner thinks that F1 supporters “have polarised”
The question of whether the sport has found itself walking a fine line between athletic rivalry and “pantomime” was then posed to Horner.
It follows a competitive race between Verstappen and Hamilton for the 2021 championship that frequently resulted in contentious off-track incidents.
“I think in terms of preference for a driver or team, that’s always going to happen,” continued the Red Bull team boss.
“The one thing that is intolerable is any form of abuse or prejudice or racism or homophobia – anything like that doesn’t belong in the sport.”
Then, Horner made the following statement amid a boom fueled by Netflix’s Drive to Survive series: “As F1’s popularity has grown, fans’ support has become more divided.
“When you’ve got record crowds attending, and new audiences coming into the sport, we’re breaking records at every single Grand Prix that we go to…
“With so many new fans coming into the sport, you’re always gonna have heroes and villains from circuit to circuit.”
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Christian Horner, Max Verstappen, Red Bull, F1, F1 2022, FIA, Formula 1, Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
