F1 calls on social media platforms to step up fight against online abuse

Formula 1 has urged social media platforms to take further steps to curb online abuse after Yuki Tsunoda and Jack Doohan were on the receiving end of toxic comments.

Franco Colapinto’s F1 return with Alpine has reignited a swell of passionate support from his Argentinian homeland, but over the past months a minority of fans have repeatedly crossed the line by harassing Doohan, who was eventually replaced by Colapinto.

The matter came to a head at last weekend’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix when a post from a parody account fabricated an Instagram story by Doohan’s father alleging to make fun of Colapinto’s qualifying crash, which was reported as genuine by Argentinian media and led to a further torrent of abuse.

Tsunoda also landed in the crosshairs of Argentinian accounts after he and Colapinto were involved in a common and innocuous impeding incident in Friday practice at Imola, with the Red Bull driver abused for gesticulating towards Colapinto.

It led to calls from Alpine and the FIA for fans to treat all competitors with respect, and Colapinto also urged his supporters to calm down, saying: “They are extremely passionate, and they are always very harsh on other people. They have to give respect.”

Numerous Argentinian fans also responded to Tsunoda’s Instagram posts with messages of support for the Japanese driver, apologising for the behaviour of others.

F1’s governing body, the FIA, has stepped up its efforts with a recently launched campaign to tackle online abuse, while F1 and its teams have also been working to moderate comments received on their online accounts.

But, when quizzed by Autosport, F1 is now also calling on the social media platforms themselves to take decisive action.

“No one should be subject to abuse online or in any other form,” F1 said in a statement provided to Autosport.

“Jack Doohan and Yuki Tsunoda are great people, very talented drivers, and ambassadors for our sport who, along with their families, should be treated with respect rather than receive abuse by people who hide behind social media.

“Formula 1 is a close community, and we all condemn these acts and will continue to work across the sport to collectively block and report abuse to social media platforms, but we need those platforms to be doing more to stop the spread of vile comments and abuse.”

Some of social media’s biggest platforms, including X (formerly Twitter) and the Meta company behind Instagram and Facebook, have reduced their global content moderation efforts in recent months.

Speaking at Imola, McLaren driver Lando Norris said he has recently cut back from using social media.

“I enjoy not going on my phone as much as I used to,” he said. “I just see social media more, from my perspective, as a waste of my time and energy, and I just don’t need it.”