Source: REUTERS/Mathieu Belanger
[Saba Sports News] As F1 continues to grow in popularity around the world, the sport’s visibility and influence have been steadily rising, along with mounting pressure off the track. Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton has openly expressed concern over the surge in online harassment brought about by the rise of social media, which is having a severe impact on young drivers. Recently, several drivers have become targets of online attacks. During the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, rookie Jack Doohan was dropped by Alpine and replaced by Franco Colapinto, who crashed in qualifying. However, some people maliciously altered a photo of Doohan’s father for mockery, sparking widespread outrage. In addition, Yuki Tsunoda once faced extreme comments after an on-track incident. He called on fans to express themselves rationally and avoid letting emotions run wild. Hamilton has expressed deep concern over this issue. He admitted that compared to when he first entered F1, today’s young drivers face more severe external public opinion, with media hype and the overall atmosphere being more aggressive than before. In response, the FIA has officially addressed the issue. F1, F2, F3, and the FIA jointly issued a statement and launched a joint campaign against online abuse, firmly condemning any form of harassment or insulting behavior.