Formula 1 broadcaster Will Buxton says drivers who fail to publicly condemn toxic online abuse from their supporters are “complicit” in the behaviour.
2025 F1 champion Lando Norris’s heat-of-the-moment comments following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix led to a wave of backlash online from Alpine driver Franco Colapinto’s passionate Argentine fanbase.
Colapinto locked up and triggered a multi-car crash at the safety car restart in Baku. He collided with his team-mate Pierre Gasly, who in turn crashed into Norris. All three drivers were out of the race as a result of the contact.
While speaking to the media immediately after the race, Norris claimed some drivers “shouldn’t be in F1” and argued that Colapinto should be given a race ban. The McLaren driver later released an apology for his comments, but he had already received a large amount of online abuse.
During an episode of the Up To Speed podcast, Buxton argued that drivers are partly responsible for stopping the abuse from their fans.
“It’s [incumbent] on any public figure, particularly sports people, if their fan base engages in this kind of rhetoric against other fans, against other sports players or public personalities or whatever within this social media space. I think it is absolutely incumbent on them to call it out,” Buxton said.
When it was pointed out that Colapinto has previously released a statement against any abusive comments from his fan base, Buxton added: “But not this week, and this is now a regular occurrence. So, if he’s done it, has he done it strongly enough? And this isn’t just a Franco Colapinto issue.
Franco Colapinto, Alpine, Lando Norris, McLaren, Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Photo by: Michael Potts / LAT images via Getty Images
“The same thing has happened repeatedly for years with Sergio Perez and his fans. I remember back in 2021 after Abu Dhabi, Lewis Hamilton’s fans were vile. Over the winter, I received stuff that was utterly disgusting. Nicholas Latifi was receiving death threats over that winter period.
“It is incumbent on the drivers whose fan bases are making these comments to stand up, say something and say, ‘You do not represent me, and I do not want you making these comments,’ and if you don’t, then you are complicit in it continuing.
“You have to take a stand. If you truly want people to believe that you want to see it end, then you have to take a stand and you have to take a position because being silent is complicity in it.”
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