The Austrian GP once again produced the goods as Charles Leclerc took home his first victory since May, while Red Bull Ring favorite, Max Verstappen, finished second. However, a lingering sense of disappointment and disillusionment hung over proceedings as reports of fan abuse grabbed the headlines.
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The orange army supporting Verstappen was in full flow as they backed him right till the end. We also witnessed a pile of orange flares in the grandstands. Nevertheless, some sections of the fans went overboard, as many people attending the Grand Prix dealt with harassment and racial slurs.
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Furthermore, a Verstappen fan took his hate for Mercedes to another level. Verstappen and Hamilton’s rivalry was a source of constant debate among the fans last season. But during the Austrian GP, one fan burned a Mercedes cap as tempers flared in the stands.
Ultimately, while burning the cap, the flame touched his hand before he threw the merchandise away onto the ground.
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Meanwhile, the fans took to social media to express their views on this disappointing act by the fan.
F1 fans react to Max Verstappen fan burning a Mercedes cap
Mercedes and F1 faithfully questioned the intent of the person burning the Silver Arrows merchandise and they want F1 to take immediate action to stop this kind of behavior during a Grand Prix.
I really hope that Mercedes cap belonged to that man, and that it wasn’t taken from another fan and burnt… https://t.co/Pea1JWk4Gm
— MikeMarshmallow (@MikeMarshmallo) July 11, 2022
As fans complained about the harassment faced in the Red Bull Ring, F1 immediately released a statement. It read, “We have been made aware of the reports that some fans have been subject to completely unacceptable comments by others at the Austrian Grand Prix.”
“We take this matter very seriously, have raised this with the promoter and security, and will be speaking to those who have reported these incidents. This kind of behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
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The likes of Hamilton and Verstappen also raised their voices against the fans causing mischief. Earlier, the seven-time world champion also faced jeers from the crowd after he crashed into the barriers in qualifying.
Speaking on the abuse suffered by the fans, Hamilton said, “It’s crazy to think that we’re experiencing those things still in 2022. And it comes down to education, and of course, ignorance.”
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As fans of the sport, we do not want to witness these types of incidents during a race week. Moreover, many drivers have voiced their opinion on this, so what action according to you should F1 undertake to stop this?
