Should FIA Implement Max Verstappen’s Advice & Ban “Alcohol” After Multiple Reports of Harassment at Zandvoort 2022?

Visiting the track for a Formula 1 race weekend has become an extremely popular activity among fans across the globe. This growing number of attendees at almost every track highlights the growing popularity of the sport. After all, watching the F1 challengers go around a track is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This is why most fans pay top dollar for it as well. However, sometimes, these experiences are marred with filth and torture at the hands of the other. To avoid this, especially after the 2022 Austrian and Dutch GP, Max Verstappen made a logical and important suggestion to the FIA.

Verstappen urged the FIA to ban or at least regulate the consumption of alcohol on the tracks. This suggestion is made by the world champion mainly because of the orange army. That’s right, Verstappen is going against his own fanbase but with good reason. The incidents at the Red Bull Ring and Zandvoort in 2022 were the driving force for Max’s suggestion. Will the FIA comply with the Red Bull man’s demands and force the organizers to ban alcohol? We’re not entirely sure! But first, let us jog your memory with the incidents at both venues.

The reason why Max Verstappen made the suggestion of banning alcohol at the Dutch GP in 2022

During the 2022 Austrian GP, the organizers revealed Red Bull Ring is ready to welcome a massive Dutch contingent. They weren’t lying as the Dutch fans arrived and painted the skies orange. Perhaps the adrenaline of the 2021 season was still coursing through their veins but the Dutch contingent came in large numbers and they came in strong. Sadly because of this though, there were a lot of reports of sexual harassment and abuse during the Sunday showdown.

There were multiple fans who reported their nightmarish experience on social media. A female attendee reported five Dutch fans lift up her dress and said, “No [Lewis] Hamilton fan deserves respect.” 

Sadly this wasn’t an isolated incident as many such incidents came to light. Similar reports came in during the Dutch GP weekend as well besides the issue of flares used by the Orange army. This horrifying scenario made Verstappen speak up against his own fan base as quoted by Daily Mail.

“One thing that can be improved is the security around places to keep people more in check,” said Verstappen. “And of course, it is not an excuse, but they watch the race, go back, party, have fun, and drink alcohol. These things can be regulated. There is a certain amount of alcohol a person should have until it is time to go to bed and wake up sober the next morning because if you start to go crazy, you can do stupid things.”

These statements and the multiple reports of abuse did spring the governing body and the F1 hierarchy into action. While, nothing can be said, if the guilty fans were ever punished for their actions, a better solution to eradicate such behavior totally is vital from the F1 & the FIA.

Read More: Despite Incidents of Racist and Sexist Abuse, Max Verstappen’s Orange Army Bestowed Upon With Unexpected Present

Luckily, at the 2023 Austrian GP, F1 did not witness come across any such incident. Although, was it mainly because of the subsided tensions between. Although, was it mainly because of the subsided tensions between Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen or was it the control over alcohol consumption?

No one can guess for sure but let’s take a quick look at the rules around alcohol consumption during race weekends.

The regulations on the consumption of alcohol during the F1 race weekends

Every race weekend is a fest for all the fans visiting the track. There are pre and post-race fan engagement events and after-parties at many venues. However, when does alcohol come into the picture?

For every track, there is a strict rule that allows no attendees to carry their own alcohol from the gates. This restricts the fans to the law of the land. In fact, every land has a different law.

For example, because of cultural sensitivity, the Saudi Arabian GP prohibited alcoholic beverages from their venue. However, in Miami and in fact both the American GPs in 2022 there were various bars that serve alcoholic beverages.

In short, alcoholic beverages are an extremely common feature of all race weekends, except races like Saudi Arabia & Bahrain. Regardless, this does not give fans of a certain group, an excuse to behave shamelessly to another set of fans.

What we witnessed in Red Bull Ring and Zandvoort in 2022 was extremely shameful for the entire sport. Let’s hope this scenario does not repeat itself anytime in the extended future of the sport.

WATCH THIS STORY | How F1 Escaped a Huge Safety Disaster at the 2023 Azerbaijan GP in Baku