FIA condemns online abuse of stewards after Colapinto penalties at Dutch GP

Following a weekend in which Alpine driver Franco Colapinto’s supporters flooded social media with hostility in a yellow-flag penalties, the FIA has condemned a “wave of online abuse" aimed at stewards who had sanctioned him at the Dutch Grand Prix, and revealed that the governing body is considering legal action. In a joint post with the United Against Online Abuse coalition, the FIA said: "Disagreement with decisions is part of sport, but it must never justify threats or personal attacks. "Online abuse, harassment and disrespect have no place in our sport."

Colapinto was handed a drive-through for a first-lap pass on Yuki Tsunoda, becoming the race's red flag, and then a further 10-second punish penalty. Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad received an identical drive-through for overtaking Pierre Gasly's. Both have points on their licences. Some accounts suggested Colapinto had been treated unfairly — but his fellow penalised driver Lindblad is British, undercutting claims of nationality-based bias.

One of Colapinto’s sponsors, Mercado Libre chief marketing officer Sean Summers, inflamed things further with a scathing blast of officials called steward decisions "killing integrity" of the sport, and questioning whether it is an "incompetence, dishonesty, both". He removed the post; the FIA’s spokesperson said legal options on his allegations are being assessed. Alpine described the sanctions as "harsh but consistently applied" and a chance to learn. Season picks up in Monza on Sept. 4.