The FIA has condemned the online harassment aimed at its F1 race stewards after they penalised Alpine driver Franco Colapinto and Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad for overtaking under double-waved yellow flags at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort.

Key Highlights

• Franco Colapinto and Arvid Lindblad were both handed drive-through penalties for overtaking under double-waved yellow flags on Lap 1.
• The incidents occurred after Max Verstappen's crash created significant debris and triggered the yellow flags.
• Colapinto's sponsor Mercado Libre questioned the integrity of the FIA stewards, fueling further online backlash.
• The FIA condemned threats and personal attacks against its stewards, while Alpine said the penalties were harsh but consistent with the rulebook.

Zandvoort Penalties Spark Immediate Controversy

The controversy began on Lap 1 of the Dutch Grand Prix, when double-waved yellow flags appeared following a major crash involving Red Bull's Max Verstappen. The incident neutralised the final marshal sector of the lap through to the start-finish straight. The first half of Lap 2 returned to green before race control ultimately deployed the red flag.

As the yellow flags came out, Colapinto overtook Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda while exiting Zandvoort's final corner. Meanwhile, Lindblad used the slipstream to pass Alpine's Pierre Gasly before crossing the start-finish line. Both drivers had taken evasive action because of debris on the circuit.

The FIA stewards determined that both drivers had breached the rules by overtaking in a double-yellow sector and issued identical drive-through penalties.

FIA Stewards Defend Application of the Rules

In its ruling on the Colapinto incident, the FIA stewards noted that the standard punishment for the infringement would normally be a 10-second stop/go penalty. However, they acknowledged the significant amount of debris on the track as a mitigating circumstance.

An identically worded verdict was issued for Lindblad, who committed a very similar infringement.

Colapinto described his penalty as "extremely harsh", arguing that he overtook Tsunoda only a split second after the yellow flags appeared. Nevertheless, under the wording of the rulebook, the FIA viewed both incidents as clear-cut cases, particularly because safety-related violations are treated seriously.

Mercado Libre Comments Fuel Online Backlash

The controversy escalated when Mercado Libre, Colapinto's Argentinian sponsor, publicly questioned the integrity of the FIA stewards on social media.

Mercado Libre chief marketing officer Sean Summers criticised the officials, claiming that the stewards were damaging the integrity of F1 and questioning whether the organisation's problems stemmed from "incompetence" or "dishonesty."

The inflammatory comments added fuel to the online backlash. FIA stewards subsequently received abusive threats, while Alpine's social media accounts were also targeted by a vocal section of Argentinian fans who believed the team had not done enough to support Colapinto during the dispute.

Alpine Backs FIA Despite Calling Penalties Harsh

On Monday, Alpine made clear that it continued to trust the FIA and its stewards when it comes to enforcing sporting regulations during live races. Alpine also indicated that the team could review the incidents and learn from them going forward.

The team acknowledged that the yellow-flag penalties handed out during the opening laps of the Dutch Grand Prix were harsh, but said they were consistent with the punishment required under the letter of the law and were applied equally across all competitors.

FIA Condemns Threats and Personal Attacks

The FIA, which established the United Against Online Abuse Coalition to combat online abuse in sport, is understood to be exploring legal options following the harassment.

In its statement, the governing body said its stewards had been targeted with online abuse after applying sporting penalties in accordance with FIA regulations. It stressed that while disagreement with sporting decisions is part of competition, it should never justify threats or personal attacks.

The FIA also highlighted that the United Against Online Abuse Coalition was launched in 2023, following targeted abuse against a steward after the United States Grand Prix. The organisation urged everyone involved in the sport to behave responsibly and respectfully both online and offline.

Nationality Claims Rejected by Identical Penalty

Some of the online abuse also included claims that Colapinto had been penalised because of his nationality, amid accusations of perceived bias against non-British drivers.

However, Lindblad, who received an identical penalty for a very similar infringement, is British. The parallel penalties therefore provide important context to the claims of nationality-based bias surrounding the Zandvoort controversy.