Mercedes invited a fan to join them in the garage on Sunday at the Austrian Grand Prix after they reported an incident of sexual abuse from other fans.
The spectator was a victim of sexual harassment while trying to enjoy her weekend in Spielberg, and this was sadly only one of many reports of harassment and discrimination over the course of the weekend.
Formula 1 itself put out a statement condemning the behaviour of some of the attendees, and vowed to work with the promoter and security to avoid a repeat of the incidents.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff affirmed in no uncertain terms that anyone behaving in the awful ways reported last weekend has no place at a Formula 1 racetrack.
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“We found out that this has happened and that’s just not on, that needs to stop,” he told RaceFans.net.
“If you are a Formula 1 fan, whatever team, whatever driver, you can’t be a racist, [sexist] and you can’t be homophobic because then you don’t fit Formula 1 and we don’t want you.”
However, the Austrian acknowledged that most of the fans in Styria were just there to have a good time, and were not perpetrators of abuse.
“On the other side, we need to be careful,” added Wolff.
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“Just because there’s a few drunk, dumbasses out there that haven’t comprehended how the world goes today, we shouldn’t condemn the 99.9% of the fans that come here.
“There is always going to be these idiots around. I hope we provided a good show for the rest and these ones can stay at home.”
After the race, second-placed Max Verstappen described the events as “clearly not okay,” while race winner Charles Leclerc condemned the “unacceptable behaviour.
Sir Lewis Hamilton, who finished third, said the reports he had heard of some of the experiences suffered by the fans left him in “shock and just really sad.”