Oct.29 (GMM) FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has warned that fans – and even members of the media – could be banned from Formula 1 events for serious online abuse.
Speaking to The Drive, Ben Sulayem said the scale of threats aimed at drivers and officials has become impossible to ignore.
“Pierre Gasly had 13,000 threats on his life – 13,000!” he exclaimed.
The abuse followed the recent controversy involving Gasly and Alpine teammate Franco Colapinto, whose Argentine fanbase has again come under scrutiny after attacking drivers online.
Ben Sulayem said the FIA is increasingly prepared to use both technology and its own authority.
“If the hate comes from someone who is a spectator, we ban them,” he said.
“If they are part of the media, we ban them because we have the authority. And if they are hiding on the internet, AI will expose them.”
He also backed Alpine boss Flavio Briatore’s recent threat to put Colapinto under a media blackout if abuse from his supporters continued.
“Not only the principal,” Ben Sulayem said.
“The F1 drivers have fans, and the drivers can say to the fans ‘Stop, I don’t want you to be my fan if you are not behaving, if you are using death threats.'”