Ben Sulayem condemns abuse of Verstappen and Horner at F1 75 Live

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday on the occasion of the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) meeting in Bahrain, Ben Sulayem linked the incident to wider concerns about harassment in motorsport.

Ben Sulayem said: “Half of [FIA] officials face online abuse, with over 50% of competitor abuse being misogynistic or racist. Nine in 10 federations fear athletes may quit if this continues.

“We saw this abuse firsthand through the crowd’s reaction to Max Verstappen and Christian Horner at the recent F1 launch in London.

"Two people who have contributed so much to our sport should not be treated like this. No one should be treated like this," the Emirati insisted.

The FIA president stressed that such behaviour is unacceptable, urging the motorsport community to take a stand, adding: “This behaviour is unacceptable, I cannot, we cannot accept this anymore.

"Our role as regulators and guardians of the very essence of motorsport requires us to speak out against all forms of harassment of athletes and to take firm action against it.

“At all levels, our sport is underpinned by respect, and I urge the sporting community to consider the impact of their actions both online and offline. But, through our work, there is progress.

"I am happy to see growing support from sports federations and governments for our online abuse coalition," Ben Sulayem maintained.

"It gives hope for change. But this is a long-term challenge, requiring constant attention,” declared the FIA President. The organisation he heads has been vocal in its commitment to tackling abuse in motorsport, with Ben Sulayem’s latest remarks reinforcing the governing body’s stance against harassment at all levels of the sport.

The day after F1 75 LIVE, an FIA spokesperson condemned the boo brigade, saying: “Great rivalries throughout the history of motorsport have contributed to making it such an exciting experience for fans. But what underpins sport at all levels is a culture of respect.

“As such, it was disappointing to hear the crowd’s tribalist reaction to FIA Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen and his Red Bull Team Principal and CEO Christian Horner, at the F1 launch in London. Max and Christian have both contributed greatly to the sport we love.

"In the season ahead we should not lose sight of that. As part of the FIA’s commitment to protect the integrity of the sport, we are leading a coalition tackling online abuse in sport under the banner of our United Against Online Abuse campaign.

“We stand with all of our competitors, officials, volunteers, and fans to unite against this growing threat. We urge the sporting community to consider the impact of their actions both online and offline," the FIA spokesperson concluded.