F1Weekly Podcast # 964

F1WEEKLY CELEBRATES THEIR 17TH YEAR IN THE BRUTAL WORLD OF PODCASTING! LAS VEGAS SELLS OUT AS FAST AS YOUR GAMBLING DEBT BEGINS. MOTORSPORTS MONDIAL IS HOT AND…PLEASE ORDER TODAY! THANKS

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HERE IS THE LATEST BIG NEWS FROM THE FIA:

The president of the FIA Mohammed ben Sulayem has condemned death threats made against a Formula One race steward and warned that the toxic abuse directed at FIA staff and volunteers threatens to “destroy” the sport.

As F1 reels under an onslaught of often poisonous online abuse between fans of different drivers, Ben Sulayem revealed that the FIA steward Silvia Bellot had recently received death threats. He also noted that other FIA staff had been “targeted” with harassment and hate posts, which he insisted was unacceptable.

“It is utterly deplorable that a volunteer such as Silvia or any of our marshals and officials, who volunteer their time to allow us to go racing, is the subject of such hatred,” he said.

Bellot is well-respected in the sport and made her debut as an F1 steward in 2011. She is also an ambassador of the FIA’s Women in Motorsport Commission. Bellot was one of the stewards at the US Grand Prix that was involved in Fernando Alonso’s controversial post-race penalty, later overturned, and was subsequently targeted with angry, threatening abuse online.

“It is totally unacceptable that our volunteers, officials and employees are subjected to this extreme abuse,” said Ben Sulayem. “Without these people there would be no racing. We have to ask ourselves, who would want to pursue becoming a top official in this environment? The reality is obvious, if this continues it will destroy our sport.” Alonso and his Alpine team condemned the way fans had behaved toward Bellot.

Play Podcast: 11-08-22f1weekly964.mp3