The Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg has been overshadowed by numerous reports of sexism, sexual harassment and homophobic and racist insults in the grandstands. Formula 1 condemns the hostilities and wants to take action.
Great excitement before the Austrian Grand Prix. Several women, but also some men, report severe harassment in the stands on Twitter. These were sexist, racist and homophobic. Some users complain that they feel extremely unsafe around the Grand Prix and are surprised at the lack of security around the Spielberg race.
Formula 1 responded to the apparently massive insults with a written statement. "We have been made aware that some fans have been subjected to completely unacceptable comments," the series said in a statement. The matter will now be discussed with the race promoter and security, "and we will speak to those who have reported the incidents. We take this very seriously. Such behavior will not be tolerated, all fans should be treated with respect."
Shortly thereafter, Lewis Hamilton also spoke up. He was "disgusted and disappointed to hear that some fans have been confronted with racist, homophobic and generally offensive behavior." Visiting a Formula 1 race should never trigger "fear and pain". "We must not sit back and allow things to continue like this," demanded the English record world champion, who had also shown himself irritated that supporters of the Dutch World Cup leader Max Verstappen, who had traveled to Spielberg in their tens of thousands, in a Hamilton crash had clapped in qualifying.
Some women spoke of running the gauntlet in the stands, which were mostly occupied by men. The experiences also extended to the huge campsites around the route and had already been part of everyday life in Spielberg in previous years. Even before the race, world champion Max Verstappen had criticized the sometimes hostile atmosphere in the stands. "Basically, I think it's a shame that the fans react like football fans," said the Red Bull driver in an interview with Sport1: "They always whistle the opponent. In Holland they whistle against Lewis, in England against me."
