Tag: Arvid Lindblad

Liam Lawson Baffled by Arvid Lindblad Baku Clash: ‘I Just Don’t Understand,’ ‘Sucks for Our Race’
Key Highlights
- Racing Bulls teammates Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad collided at Turn 1 on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix restart, ending Lawson’s points hopes while Lindblad recovered to finish P7.
- Lindblad’s P7 finish, just 0.030s ahead of Esteban Ocon, delivered crucial midfield points as Alpine rivals Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto retired in a separate intra-team collision.
- Both drivers acknowledged the team lacked pace all weekend, with Lawson admitting “they were much quicker than us” and Lindblad calling it “damage limitation” on a difficult weekend.
Teammates Clash on Restart as Racing Bulls Salvage Points in Baku

A promising double-points opportunity for Racing Bulls unraveled in chaotic fashion at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix when teammates Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad made contact on the Safety Car restart. The incident occurred as both drivers, having recovered from Q2 elimination to run in the top ten on fresh tires, approached Turn 1 three abreast. Lindblad, diving down the inside, tagged the rear of Lawson’s car and sent the New Zealander spinning into the run-off area.

Lawson Left Searching for Answers After “Smoked” Move

Lawson, who ultimately finished P12 after sustaining floor damage, was visibly perplexed by his rookie teammate’s decision-making. Asked for his view on the incident, he said: “I need to watch it. We were all coming into Turn 1 on the restart and I just got smoked from my left. It put a hole in my floor as well.

“I don’t really know what gap he was looking for in the middle of both of us going into Turn 1 – I just don’t understand it. Obviously great points for the team but it sucks for our race.”

The 22-year-old’s frustration was understandable: both cars had capitalized on the Safety Car to vault into points contention, only for the intra-team collision to halve the team’s potential haul.

Lindblad Defends Move Amid “Absolute Mess” at Turn 1

Lindblad, 19, offered a different perspective on the frenzied restart sequence. He believed the poorly bunched field left him with no viable alternative. Lindblad, meanwhile, believed that he had nowhere else to go, as he explained: “At the back where we were, we’d gone about three times on the straight before we actually went because the field wasn’t bunched up well at all.

“It was just an absolute mess going into Turn 1. Everyone was moving a lot. Obviously a bit of a shame to hit Liam but if you see the incident, you can see there’s not much I could’ve done. I came and immediately apologised to him, and obviously I apologised to the team because there could’ve been two of us up there today.”

The rookie managed to continue without terminal damage, eventually passing Haas’ Esteban Ocon over the finish line by a minuscule 0.030 seconds to secure P7 — a result that proved pivotal in the constructors’ battle.

Why This Matters: Midfield Swing in Racing Bulls’ Favor

The Baku outcome represents a significant swing in the tight midfield championship fight. While Racing Bulls lost a likely double-points finish, Lindblad’s P7 — combined with the double retirement of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto following their own teammate collision at nearly the same moment — handed Racing Bulls a net gain in the constructors’ standings. Both Alpine drivers retired with damage after contact between them, amplifying the value of Lindblad’s solitary point-scoring finish.

Perhaps more concerning for Racing Bulls is the admitted pace deficit. Lawson was blunt in his post-race assessment: “We got very lucky today – they were much quicker than us and they have been all weekend. We need to try and turn it around next week.” Lindblad echoed the sentiment, describing the weekend as “very difficult” with struggles to escape Q1, and framing the result as “damage limitation when you’re struggling on a weekend.” The team’s ability to extract points despite lacking raw speed speaks to operational execution, but the underlying performance gap remains a priority for the upcoming Singapore round.

Frequently Asked Questions

What caused the collision between Lawson and Lindblad in Baku?

On the Safety Car restart, Lindblad attempted an inside pass at Turn 1 while three cars were abreast. He made contact with the rear of Lawson’s car, spinning the New Zealander into the run-off area and damaging his floor. Lawson dropped to P12; Lindblad continued to finish P7.

How did the Alpine collision affect the constructors’ standings battle?

Alpine teammates Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto collided at nearly the same time as the Racing Bulls incident, resulting in both cars retiring. With Alpine scoring zero points and Racing Bulls securing six points via Lindblad’s P7, the Baku weekend delivered a meaningful swing in the midfield championship fight.

What did the drivers say about Racing Bulls’ pace deficit?

Both drivers acknowledged the car lacked competitiveness all weekend. Lawson stated: “We got very lucky today – they were much quicker than us and they have been all weekend.” Lindblad called it “a very difficult weekend” and “damage limitation,” emphasizing the need to understand why they “haven’t been faster” before the next race in Singapore.
09/26/2026
Racing Bulls’ Mixed Fortunes: Liam Lawson Returns, Arvid Lindblad Crashes in 2026 Azerbaijan GP Practice
Key Highlights
- Liam Lawson returns to Racing Bulls after a three-race stint at Red Bull, finishing 12th in FP2 and targeting a top-10 qualifying spot.
- Rookie Arvid Lindblad crashed heavily in FP2 at the castle section, bringing out red flags and causing significant right-side damage to his car.
- Team Principal Alan Permane refused to punish Lindblad, calling it “rookie enthusiasm” and emphasizing support over criticism.
Lawson Returns to Familiar Surroundings as Racing Bulls Reset in Baku

Racing Bulls experienced a Thursday of contrasting fortunes on the streets of Baku, with Liam Lawson settling back into the squad after his temporary promotion to Red Bull Racing while rookie Arvid Lindblad learned a harsh lesson on the unforgiving Azerbaijan circuit. The New Zealander completed a solid FP1 in seventh place before slipping to 12th in the afternoon session, while the British youngster’s day ended prematurely against the barriers.

Lindblad’s Rookie Error Brings Out Red Flags

The second practice session told a dramatically different story for the team’s newest addition. Twenty minutes into FP2, Lindblad clouted the walls through the castle section, bringing out the red flags and causing significant damage to the right-hand side of his machinery. The incident echoed his previous FP2 crash in Madrid, raising questions about his adaptation to street circuits. The British driver radioed his team to apologise, saying he’d just clipped the wall by a millimetre. He also faced a scary moment earlier in the session when the Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton suddenly appeared in front of him in the final sector while he was on a hot lap, forcing him to take avoiding action.

Permane Offers Support Over Punishment for Young Driver

Speaking after the session, Team Principal Alan Permane made it clear he would not come down hard on his rookie. “It’s not the time to come down on him like a ton of bricks, it’s the time to support him. It was a millimetre. It’s a bit of a shame. It’s certainly not the right time to crash like that, if that was Q3 and he was absolutely going for it, you can understand it. But it’s a little bit of ‘the car was feeling good’. I think it’s just a little bit of rookie enthusiasm, but nothing more than that.” Permane added that Lindblad was looking quick on that lap and the team are going to take that as a positive going into the rest of the event.

Welcome Return for Lawson After Red Bull Loan Spell

Permane also welcomed the fact the squad have Lawson back after a three-race stint covering Isack Hadjar at sister team Red Bull Racing. “Much as we love Yuki [Tsunoda] — and the whole team does, he’s a very popular figure – it’s good to have Liam back in his car, in the team, working very, very well with Arvid, and those two lift each other up through the weekend.” Lawson himself expressed satisfaction at the reunion. “Honestly, it was good. This morning we were quite strong. We definitely didn’t have the same performance in FP2, where everybody else made a decent step, so we have to look at that and try and improve things for tomorrow. But overall, it’s good. It’s nice to be back in my car. It feels like home, but we have some work to do to match those guys.” The New Zealander confirmed the team will be working overnight to improve in the low speed corners to try and get themselves into the top 10 in Qualifying on Friday.

Why This Matters

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix represents a critical juncture for Racing Bulls’ driver development strategy. With Lawson’s return from his Red Bull Racing audition, the team gains valuable experience and a benchmark for car performance, while Lindblad’s baptism of fire on a street circuit highlights the steep learning curve facing rookie drivers in Formula 1. The team’s decision to support rather than sanction Lindblad signals a long-term developmental approach, prioritizing confidence-building over immediate results. As the only practice session before Friday qualifying under the sprint format, Thursday’s running carried outsized importance, and the overnight work on low-speed corner performance will determine whether Racing Bulls can translate their FP1 promise into a competitive grid position.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Liam Lawson driving for Red Bull Racing recently?

Lawson completed a three-race stint at Red Bull Racing covering for Isack Hadjar before returning to his regular Racing Bulls seat for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend.

What caused Arvid Lindblad’s crash in FP2?

Lindblad clipped the wall by a millimetre through the castle section of the Baku street circuit, bringing out red flags and causing significant damage to the right-hand side of his car.

What are Racing Bulls’ priorities for Friday qualifying?

The team will work overnight to improve performance in low-speed corners, with Lawson targeting a top-10 qualifying position after the car lost pace relative to competitors in FP2.
09/24/2026
Max Verstappen’s blunt reaction to F1 Monaco GP sprint race: “No emotion attached to it”
Key Highlights
- Formula 1 has confirmed a 2027 calendar featuring 10 sprint weekends, including the season opener in Bahrain and the finale in Abu Dhabi.
- The designation of Monaco as a sprint venue caught drivers by surprise, with Sergio Perez learning of the decision via the drivers’ WhatsApp group.
- Max Verstappen reiterated his opposition to sprint races regardless of venue, while Arvid Lindblad argued Baku would be a far more suitable sprint location.
Monaco Sprint Selection Shocks Paddock as F1 Unveils 2027 Sprint Calendar

Formula 1’s recently presented 2027 calendar reveals a logical sequence of grands prix, yet the selection of sprint race venues has sparked considerable debate within the paddock. The sport has not only expanded the number of sprint weekends to 10 — a move widely viewed as commercially inevitable — but has also chosen locations that challenge conventional thinking about the format’s suitability. Notably, both the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix and the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix have been designated as sprint weekends, a significant shift in how the championship’s bookend events will be structured.

However, the inclusion of the Monaco Grand Prix as a sprint venue generated the most immediate astonishment. During media day in Baku, Cadillac driver Sergio Perez disclosed that he only became aware of the decision through the flurry of reactions in the Formula 1 drivers’ WhatsApp group. “I found out through our [WhatsApp] group, actually. There were some comments there,” Perez said, smiling. “It was a bit busy in the group! I didn’t pay much attention, other than what happened in the group. And that stays in the group, as you can imagine.” The revelation underscores how unexpected the choice was even for the participants themselves.

Drivers Debate Risk vs. Reward on Monte Carlo’s Streets

On the record, driver opinions on a Monaco sprint are divided. Proponents argue the format brings the intensity of qualifying to the principality’s streets twice, theoretically doubling the spectacle. Critics, however, point to the fundamental disruption of the traditional weekend build-up. On a circuit where drivers traditionally leave margin during Friday practice and progressively push closer to the barriers at corners like Tabac and Piscine before the Saturday qualifying crescendo, the sprint format compresses that progression.

Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad articulated the strategic dilemma: “Maybe you take a bit less risk… If you’re P15, maybe you don’t try as hard, but the top teams, they’d always have to push. I think it would just mean that you can’t build as nicely as you’d want towards qualifying. You just have to get outside your comfort zone a bit earlier in the weekend.” With overtaking virtually impossible in Monaco, a poor sprint qualifying result effectively locks in a non-points finish for both the sprint and the main race, incentivizing caution over aggression for much of the field.

Verstappen Remains Unmoved: ‘I Have No Emotion Attached to Winning a Sprint Race’

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen offered the most definitive rejection of the format, irrespective of venue. “Yeah, more sprint races… Personally, I’m not a fan of it, but I understand the reasoning behind it, of course,” Verstappen stated in Baku. “It brings more action throughout the weekend, so yeah, we’ll participate… But, for me, I always think about the grand prix and that’s where my main focus is.”

The Dutchman views sprint races as a spoiler for Sunday’s main event — a concern amplified in Monaco where two processional races would replace one. “About the sprint in Monaco, yeah, it’s the same scenario as what happens in the main race, right? Like, you are excited for the start and then you can’t pass. That’s quite straightforward.” Asked if the Monaco selection surprised him, Verstappen dismissed the relevance of location entirely: “I don’t know. For me, I honestly don’t care where the sprint races are… I just participate and of course you try to do the best you can. But I have no emotion attached to winning a sprint race or not winning it. From when I was a kid, you look forward to the grand prix. That’s normally on a Sunday or sometimes on a Saturday,” he added, referencing the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix’s Saturday scheduling.

Lindblad Champions Baku as Ideal Sprint Venue

While Monaco’s selection perplexes many, Lindblad argued that the Baku City Circuit — absent from the sprint calendar for both 2026 and 2027 — possesses the characteristics the format demands. “This should be a sprint, this would be an amazing sprint race… In the end, it’s a track we can pass and the whole point of a sprint race is the idea of a flat-out race and passing. I think this should be one.” The Racing Bulls driver highlighted Baku’s combination of entertaining qualifying and genuine overtaking opportunities as the antithesis of Monaco’s limitations.

Why This Matters

The 2027 sprint calendar reveals Formula 1’s strategic priorities: maximizing commercial inventory through high-profile weekends in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, and leveraging the unique prestige of Monaco despite its unsuitability for sprint racing’s core premise — overtaking. The drivers’ reactions expose a growing tension between the format’s commercial rationale and its sporting integrity. Verstappen’s emotional detachment and Lindblad’s tactical concerns about risk management in Monaco illustrate how the format alters competitive incentives. With Baku excluded through 2027, F1 appears to prioritize marketable venues over circuits that naturally produce the “flat-out race and passing” Lindblad identifies as the sprint’s purpose. The upcoming seasons will test whether fans accept processional sprints at iconic venues as a worthwhile trade-off for increased weekend content.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many sprint weekends are scheduled for the 2027 Formula 1 season?

Ten sprint weekends are scheduled for the 2027 Formula 1 season, an increase from the current format.

Which races have been confirmed as sprint weekends for 2027?

The season opener in Bahrain and the season finale in Abu Dhabi are confirmed as sprint weekends, along with the Monaco Grand Prix. The full list of ten venues was referenced but not exhaustively detailed in the source material.

Why are drivers critical of a sprint race in Monaco?

Drivers criticize the Monaco sprint because overtaking is virtually impossible at the circuit, rendering the sprint a procession that duplicates Sunday’s race. The format also disrupts the traditional progressive build-up to qualifying, forcing drivers out of their comfort zone earlier with little reward for risk-taking given the likelihood of a non-points starting position.
09/23/2026
Arvid Lindblad Insists “I’m allowed to make mistakes” After Madring F1 Crash

Arvid Lindblad Defends Right to Make Mistakes After Spanish GP Crash, Still Qualifies 10th

Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad remained unapologetic after crashing out of FP2 at the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, a mistake that forced a chassis change and limited his final practice running to just seven laps. Despite the setback, the Anglo-Swede recovered to qualify 10th, matching interim team-mate Yuki Tsunoda in Q1 before beating him by 0.9 seconds in Q2 to secure a Q3 berth.

Crash Cost Valuable Track Time but Not Confidence

Lindblad lost control of the VCARB 03 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya’s Turn 13 left-hander, damaging the car’s right-hand side and ending his Friday programme early. The team elected to change the chassis, leaving the fourth-youngest driver in F1 history with minimal preparation before qualifying.

Asked if the incident dented his confidence, Lindblad explained: “The bigger thing was just that I didn’t drive in FP3, you know? If I had done all of FP3, I don’t think it really would have hurt me too much. But the reality was, I had the crash and then I only did two [flying] laps in FP3 and I didn’t really get a chance to get comfortable again. And that was the thing that hurt me.”

He added: “The reality is we missed – I don’t want to say ‘two sessions of learning’, but we weren’t comfortable making a change after FP2 because of the crash. Then we didn’t drive properly in FP3, so we didn’t want to make a change. So we basically only used FP1 for the set-up. I have the same set-up as what we decided after FP1. I definitely think that if I hadn’t had that crash yesterday, the trajectory to quali would have been very different and I would have been a lot happier.”

Rookie Accepts Errors as Part of Development Curve

Lindblad refuses to dwell on the shunt, framing it as an inevitable consequence of pushing to the limit. “It is what it is, it’s something to learn from,” he said. “I’m not going to beat myself up for crashing, because it’s something that’s inevitable. I’ve been so on the limit this year, I’ve been so fast. It’s my 10th Q3 of the season [excluding sprints]. I’m allowed to make mistakes. I’m going to learn from it.”

His consistency underscores that perspective. Lindblad has yet to retire from a grand prix (a clutch failure prevented his Montreal start), has scored points in seven of the last eight rounds, is on a nine-race Q3 streak, and has not been outqualified by a team-mate since the Silverstone sprint event.

Realistic Race Expectations After Surprise FP2 Pace

The 17-year-old topped the timesheets in FP2 with fourth place before his crash, but he downplayed that performance as a true indicator of race pace. “I wasn’t going to be P4 today,” he chuckled. “I mean, I can’t go one second quicker. The top teams obviously made a step. The reality is maybe our guys just did a better job with the starting set-up, so we started closer. So this is where we deserve to be. The reality is yesterday was something special. I think I was ahead of the curve, the team was also ahead of the curve. But there’s no hiding the fact that we’re not P4. So the reality is tomorrow we’re going to try to do the best we can. But P9, unless someone crashes, it’s the best that’s possible.”

Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls. Photo by: Rudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images

09/12/2026
F1 Spanish GP FP2: Kimi Antonelli Tops Tricky Session as Arvid Lindblad Crashes
Kimi Antonelli Leads FP2 at Spanish Grand Prix as Mercedes Shines in Madrid

Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli topped the second practice session for the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix on Friday, edging out Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc at the challenging new Madring circuit in Madrid. The championship leader set the benchmark early and improved steadily as track conditions evolved, ultimately posting a 1m33.662s on soft tyres to lead the timesheets.

Tricky Madrid Layout Tests Drivers from the Outset

The 5.4-kilometre hybrid layout — combining street sections with a purpose-built high-speed loop — proved difficult to master from the opening session. With virtually no runoff areas, teams adopted a cautious approach in FP1, prioritising rhythm and muscle memory over outright pace. That conservatism carried into the early stages of FP2, though lap times began to tumble as grip levels improved.

Antonelli set the initial pace on medium tyres with a 1m34.428s, only for Max Verstappen to briefly take over before the Mercedes driver responded with a 1m33.926s. Turn 17 emerged as a particular flashpoint, with multiple drivers running wide on exit and triggering track-limits violations.

Soft-Tyre Runs Shuffle Order Before Red Flag Halts Action

The session intensified at the halfway mark as most drivers switched to the soft compound, which proved demanding to keep in its optimal temperature window under sustained lateral loads. Antonelli again set the reference with his session-best 1m33.662s. Team-mate George Russell slotted in just a tenth behind, while Ferrari duo Lewis Hamilton and Leclerc followed in third and fourth.

Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad delivered an eye-catching performance to sit fourth before his afternoon ended abruptly. The British rookie slid into the barriers at Turn 13, a medium-speed left-hander, bringing out the red flags with 25 minutes remaining. Lindblad escaped unharmed, but the TecPro barrier repairs consumed the remaining session time, freezing the order at the top.

Norris Sidelined by Gearbox Issue; Home Heroes Struggle

McLaren endured a difficult Friday. Reigning world champion Lando Norris completed just two laps before a transmission issue forced him into the garage for a gearbox change, leaving Oscar Piastri as the team’s sole representative in seventh. Meanwhile, local favourites Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso finished 16th and 17th respectively, with Alonso’s start delayed by a clutch problem on his Aston Martin.

Spanish GP FP2 Classification – Top 10
1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 1m33.662s
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
3. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
4. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
5. George Russell (Mercedes)
6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
8. Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls)
9. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
10. Liam Lawson (Red Bull)
Tsunoda, making his third appearance of the season while Isack Hadjar recovers from a wrist injury, impressed in eighth. Haas driver Esteban Ocon and Red Bull’s Liam Lawson rounded out the top 10.

With the Madring circuit continuing to evolve and tyre management critical, Saturday’s final practice and qualifying sessions promise further shifts in the competitive order.
09/11/2026
Alex Brundle Calls Arvid Lindblad’s Dutch GP Penalty “Harsh”

F1 TV analyst Alex Brundle has described Arvid Lindblad’s drive-through penalty at the Dutch Grand Prix as “harsh”, arguing that drivers should not be punished for making a secondary overtake while taking evasive action.

Why Arvid Lindblad was penalised at Zandvoort

The race at Zandvoort was disrupted on the opening lap when home favourite Max Verstappen crashed at Turn 14. Lindblad was one of the drivers behind the four-time world champion and, while avoiding the incident, passed Pierre Gasly’s Alpine on the approach to Turn 1.

The stewards classified the move as a yellow-flag infringement and issued the Racing Bulls rookie a costly drive-through penalty.

Speaking on F1 TV’s post-race show, Brundle sympathised with Lindblad’s position.

“I think it is harsh. The accepted way to go about it as a driver is if you’re effectively avoiding the crash, you avoid the crash and you do everything that you can to make sure that you don’t become part of the accident,” Brundle explained.

“It’s difficult to then add in extra things that the drivers have to be aware of during an incident to make sure that they don’t then pass a car secondarily to that.

“It depends how far you are away from the incident. But if you haven’t actually passed a yellow flag and if you’re actually trying to get around the incident, I think it’s harsh then to penalise you for passing another driver while you’re actually taking evasive action.”

Lindblad explains Dutch Grand Prix incident

The 19-year-old Racing Bulls driver discussed the incident from his perspective after the race.

“Max lost it, then he came across the track, and there was debris everywhere. I couldn’t really see anything,” Lindblad told F1 TV. “I tried to avoid making contact. I think I almost hit one of his tyres. Then I was just holding my line and trying to just go straight to not have any incident or anything.

“Then I passed Pierre into Turn 1. But I didn’t see any flags or anything. So it was a bit of a shame. I also think the penalty is a bit harsh. I think we can all be honest. It took me out of the race, basically. It was quite extreme for such an incident, but fine. It is what it is.”

Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Photo by: Eric Le Galliot

Source: www.motorsport.com

08/27/2026
FIA Explores Legal Action Over Abuse Targeting F1 Stewards After Colapinto’s Dutch GP Penalty

Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA, has strongly condemned the wave of online harassment directed at its race stewards following their decision to penalise Alpine driver Franco Colapinto and Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad during the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

Penalties for Overtaking Under Double Yellow Flags

Both drivers received drive-through penalties on the opening lap for overtaking under double-waved yellow flags. The yellow flags were deployed after a heavy crash involving Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, which neutralised the final marshal sector of the circuit until the start-finish straight.

As the yellows were shown, Colapinto overtook Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda exiting the final corner, while Lindblad drafted past Alpine’s Pierre Gasly before crossing the start/finish line. Both drivers had been forced to take evasive action due to debris on track.

Stewards’ Verdict Cites Mitigating Circumstances

Regarding the Colapinto incident, the FIA stewards issued the following explanation:

“Car 43 was behind Car 22 entering Turn 14 and overtook Car 22 in the double yellow flag sector before the line at the end of Lap 1. Normally, such infringement requires a 10-second stop/go penalty, but the Stewards acknowledge the complications caused by the significant amount of debris on track at this point and take this into account as mitigating circumstances.”

The stewards applied an identically phrased verdict for Lindblad’s infraction.

Sponsor Criticism Sparks Abusive Backlash

Colapinto described his penalty as extremely harsh, arguing he overtook Tsunoda a split second after the yellows appeared. However, under the strict letter of the regulations, both penalties were clear-cut, as the FIA prioritises safety-related infractions.

The situation escalated when Colapinto’s Argentinian sponsor, Mercado Libre, launched a scathing attack on the stewards’ integrity via social media. Sean Summers, the company’s chief marketing officer, stated:

“The Stewards are killing the integrity of F1. This season they are proving to be horrible and impacting race results,” said Sean Summers, Mercado Libre’s chief marketing officer. “Incompetence? Dishonesty? Both? Something is seriously broken in that organisation’s culture.”

Those inflammatory comments—since removed—fuelled a torrent of abusive threats toward the FIA stewards. Alpine’s official social media channels were also targeted by a vocal section of Argentinian fans who believed the team did not support Colapinto sufficiently.

Alpine Trusts FIA Process, Acknowledges Harshness

On Monday, Alpine released a statement addressing the controversy:

“We fully trust the FIA and the stewards when it comes to the policing of these rules and the application of sporting penalties during a live race scenario.

“We believe the penalties applied for yellow flag Infringements during the opening laps of the Dutch Grand Prix were indeed harsh, but acknowledge they fit the punishment based on the letter of the law and were consistently applied across all competitors and is something we can review and learn from as a team.”

FIA Condemns Abuse, Explores Legal Options

The FIA, which established the United Against Online Abuse campaign to combat harassment in sport, is understood to be exploring legal avenues and released the following statement:

“Following the Dutch Grand Prix, FIA stewards were targeted with online abuse after applying sporting penalties in line with FIA regulations.

“The United Against Online Abuse Coalition condemns all forms of abuse and harassment. Disagreement with decisions is part of sport, but it must never justify threats or personal attacks.

“In 2023, the FIA launched the United Against Online Abuse Coalition after a steward faced targeted abuse following the United States Grand Prix. We urge everyone engaging with our sport to do so with respect and responsibility, online and offline.”

Nationality Bias Claims Contradicted by Facts

Among the toxic commentary, suggestions emerged that Colapinto was penalised due to his nationality, alleging bias against non-British drivers. This narrative is directly contradicted by the identical penalty handed to Lindblad—a British driver—for a near-identical infraction on the same lap.

08/25/2026