Toto Wolff has weighed in with his views on the behaviour of Formula 1 fans in Austria after multiple concerning reports emerged. A statement from Formula 1 was issued on Sunday confirming the reports of "unacceptable" behaviour, with investigations to be conducted alongside event organisers and security. Accounts of harassment were shared by fans on social media, and drivers have been voicing their concerns on the topic of fan behaviour. When asked for comment on the reports of harassment, Mercedes Team Principal Wolff issued a "stay away" warning to the guilty fans. "First of all, that [behaviour] needs to stop," Wolff told media, including RacingNews365.com . "If you are real Formula 1 fan, whatever team, whatever driver, you can't be a racist and you can't be homophobic, because they don't fit into Formula 1 and we don't want you. "If you abuse in whatever way - sexist, misogynistic, homophobic or racist - you're just simply pointless, and no alcohol can excuse that. "The sport polarises and triggers emotions, but not that. Again, we should condemn and put it out there that these few idiots are to stay away from us."
Wolff's word of caution: We shouldn't label all fans
The Austrian Grand Prix crowd featured a strong following for Max Verstappen, with many making the trip from the Netherlands. Large sections of the crowd were heard cheering a crash for Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton during qualifying, generating criticism from high-profile F1 figures. Hamilton and Mercedes reported that they had received a complaint from a female fan who was harassed by a group of male fans because of her support of Hamilton. Wolff cautioned that nobody should create links between fan allegiance and unacceptable behaviours, and instead blame individual "drunk dumbasses". "On the other side, we need to be careful, just because there are a few drunk dumbasses out there that haven't comprehended how the world is today, we shouldn't condemn the 99.9 per cent of the fans that come here," added Wolff. "There's always gonna be these idiots around, and we hope the rest provide a good show for the rest of the fans. The idiots can stay at home. "It mustn't come across that we are condemning a group of fans, because we're not. I've seen them climbing on the fences and when I looked at them nobody was booing, and they were hardcore."
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