Max Verstappen has called for a major change in regulations for F1 fans following the harrowing allegations of abuse which tainted the Austrian Grand Prix.
F1 is now conducting an investigation after receiving numerous complaints of sexual harassment and discriminatory, racist and homophobic behaviour at the Red Bull Ring. It followed fans cheering on Friday when Lewis Hamilton crashed into the barriers during qualifying, something the driver himself labelled "mind-blowing."
A released statement described the alleged behaviour as "unacceptable and will not be tolerated." They added: "We take these matters very seriously, have raised them with the promoter and event security, and will be speaking to those who reported them."
And now Verstappen, 24, has called for tighter protocols at races to prevent fan behaviour from getting out of hand, implying alcohol was the root of the problem: “One thing that can be improved is the security around places to keep people more in check,” he said, in the Independent.
"These things can be regulated. There is a certain amount of alcohol a person should have until it is time to go to bed and wake up sober the next morning because if you start to go crazy, you can do stupid things."
His sentiments were echoed by his team boss Christian Horner, who told reporters: "We are shocked to hear that there have been some incidents of abusive behaviour in the grandstands and the fan parks.
"This is completely unacceptable and we hope that security and the authorities deal with this swiftly as there is no place for it in racing or society as a whole. We value inclusion and want a safe space for fans to enjoy our sport."
In one incident, an apparent Verstappen fan was filmed setting fire to a Mercedes cap. And the Silver Arrows invited one distressed Hamilton fan into their garage after the race, after she claimed her dress was lifted by drunk spectators who told her she didn’t deserve respect.
And F1 officials will now be on guard with another strong contingent of Verstappen’s Orange Army expected at the Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest from July 29-31. The Dutch Grand Prix weekend in Zandvoort from September 2-4 is expected to draw in a race crowd in excess of 100,000.
Prior to Sunday, the Red Bull man had enjoyed a dominant weekend, taking pole position in Friday's qualifying session. He then cruised to victory in the Saturday Sprint Race to further extend his Championship lead.
However, in front of around 60,000 spectators who had travelled to Holland to support him, the Grand Prix itself didn't go to plan as he was beaten into second place by Charles Leclerc. In a tense finale, the Ferrari man battled a sticking throttle as he held off Verstappen to take the chequered flag.
The reigning champion now leads the Monegasque man by 38 points in the standings. Hamilton meanwhile, continued his revival with a third consecutive podium, coming from eighth on the grid to finish third.
