F1 drivers react to online abuse change: 'They wouldn't have the balls'

Franco Colapinto and Gabriel Bortoleto have welcomed the FIA's revised online abuse guidelines, insisting the governing body has been "proactive" in tackling a growing problem.

The FIA unveiled its updated Online Community Guidelines alongside its United Against Online Abuse initiative during the São Paulo Grand Prix weekend on November 7, expanding its classification of digital harm into seven categories covering toxic content, impersonation, surveillance and account lockout, among others.

Several F1 drivers have been the subject of severe online abuse this season. Alpine driver Pierre Gasly, his family and girlfriend, are understood to have received 13,000 death threats after the team ordered team-mate Franco Colapinto to let the French driver by during the Spanish Grand Prix.

Incidents with Colapinto, in particular, have often triggered an extreme reaction from his supporters.

Asked for his reaction to the revised guidelines, Colapinto, speaking to the media, including RacingNews365, said: "It's great. I've been fighting really hard against it this year, and I don't want to talk about it much more. I talked enough.

"But generally, it's an area that we have to keep improving as a community, as a sport, in every area, in the world.

"We need to keep an eye on it and keep understanding how we can improve it and just not let it rest.

"We have to be very proactive in the things that we are doing. Me, with the team, with Alpine and everyone in the paddock, we've been fighting really hard against it. Everyone should do so. Let's hope we can keep improving the situation."

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Bortoleto, speaking alongside Colapinto, pointed to his Alpine rival as having been especially outspoken on the subject this year, before offering his own assessment of the FIA's efforts and the nature of the abuse drivers face.

"The FIA has been doing a very good job on that," said Bortoleto. "And again, I think Franco has been a little bit more openly vocal about it," the Audi driver said.

"I think it's important to be open to constructive criticism because that's okay. We are in a free world. We can listen to opinions, but they need to be constructive.

"They cannot be threatening. They cannot be judging in a negative way because I'm sure these people wouldn't have the balls to do that looking into my eyes or looking into his eyes or anyone's eyes. They do this because they are behind the screen.

"I'm happy if someone wants to come to my face and say something, then it's a different topic. But online abuse, it's for cowards, and I'm sure that the FIA has been taking care of this in a very good way.

"They have been proactive. We have been talking a lot also between the drivers, and I see a lot of progress on that. So hopefully we can keep improving."

The pair's comments come as the FIA has leaned increasingly on technology to police its own channels, deploying automated moderation software such as Arwen.ai to filter abusive comments directed at officials and participants in real time.

The governing body has also built referral pathways with law enforcement through its United Against Online Abuse coalition, aiming to escalate the most serious threats and hate speech for prosecution.