13,000 death threats against Formula 1 drivers – “Risk of losing this sport”

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, head of the world motorsport association FIA, has given a frightening insight into how Formula 1 drivers are becoming the target of online hate. According to his statement, Alpine driver Pierre Gasly has received 13,000 death threats since the race in Madrid in mid-September. The FIA ​​boss gave this number to the US car portal “The Drive”.

The background: Gasly was ahead of his teammate Franco Colapinto in the race in the Spanish capital. The Argentinian was faster on fresher tires and demanded a change of place. But Gasly initially didn't let Colapinto pass and thus slowed down his teammate. After the Frenchman made a pit stop, Colapinto ended up ahead of Gasly. He came seventh, Gasly twelfth. Nevertheless, after the race, a wave of hate hit Gasly, especially from Colapinto's native Argentina.

"I am of course aware that as a top athlete I am in the public eye. That has always been the case. But I find threats and attacks of this magnitude completely inappropriate, especially when they are directed against family members, girlfriends and other people. That should not happen," Gasly said at the time.

Alpine boss Flavio Briatore reacted immediately, threatening a boycott of interviews against the Argentine media. And Colapinto addressed his fans directly and asked them to stop the threats. FIA boss Ben Sulayem would like to see more of this: "The drivers have fans. And the drivers can say that they don't want these fans if they make threats against other drivers."

“Then he’ll be thrown out,” announces the FIA boss

Ben Sulayem also appealed directly to fans and the media. “We are at risk of losing the sport to online hate and this is where we need you,” he said. He announced consequences for the future: "If these threats come from a fan, he'll be kicked out. If they come from a media representative, he'll be kicked out. We have the means for that. And if the haters hide anonymously on the Internet, we will use AI to expose them."

The FIA ​​has launched the “United Against Online Abuse” initiative and is making extensive use of AI technologies to combat online threats. Thanks to the technology, Ben Sulayem probably also received 13,000 death threats against Gasly.

However, the FIA ​​was unable to prevent a departure triggered by online hatred, as Ben Sulayem described: "We had a race steward who was threatened with being raped and killed. In the end it wasn't worth it to her and she left."