Formula 1 Fans Report Yet More Harassment At The Italian Grand Prix

After reports of harassment at both the Austrian and Dutch Grands Prix, it should come as little surprise that the trend has continued into this past weekend's Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Fans who attended the event are reporting instances of harassment as well as organizational chaos that made the entire race something of a misery.

Let's start with a video from Harry Eade, who does social media for Aston Martin. Eade shared a clip of two men walking through a grandstand demanding anyone in a Max Verstappen hat remove their headgear:

Hey @Autodromo_Monza/@F1, we don't accept bullies in our sport. These men are harassing/bullying anyone wearing Max Verstappen hats until they take them off.

No security/officials to be seen anywhere to at least report them.

Sort. It. Out.#ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/oFpVKlqr2D

— Harry Eade (@harryeade_) September 11, 2022

Another video from a fan at the race shows a grandstand singing a song about Verstappen's mother being a whore:

Haven't been to an event where people can be so disrespectful and rude freely. Literally you guys don't watch a thing, there was a guy humiliating others on the fan zone yesterday and no steward or police were there to literally stop him. So disappointed with this circuit. Img▶️ pic.twitter.com/iX3WR4XdDO

— Lina Useche (@LinaUsch) September 12, 2022

Among the harassment from fans came rampant event disorganization that left one fan with limited mobility waiting for assistance that never came:

I've sent hundreds of tweets and messages asking for answers and assistance but no one has replied. I've never felt this disrespected in my life, had to stay in the side of the road for hours and people would just stare and keep walking pic.twitter.com/yK1FwSXZ4L

— Daniela Fermin (@Danielafermin) September 11, 2022

Another fan shared a thread of her experience, which included long lines and a description of an "exchange" system put in place at the track. Instead of paying directly for food or drinks, fans had to purchase tokens that could then be exchanged for those items:

Was excited to attend my first ever @f1 race while visiting Italy 🇮🇹, but @Autodromo_Monza was the most disorganized event I've ever been to. 🧵

— jenniferwang (@jenniferwang) September 11, 2022

If you did manage to secure something to eat or drink, though, there was little hope you'd get to enjoy it. Track security allegedly took water bottles from fans at the gate, then refused anything but a single small water bottle in the grandstands.

As they wouldn't take cash at any of the food or drink stands. However they took our water bottles off us at the gates at one of the hottest races of the season. Harassed and assaulted in the stands for trying to find a view point and wearing redbull and McLaren merch. (2/3)

— Cotsy (@CotsyCB) September 11, 2022

The track did share an emergency number that fans could contact if they were experiencing any harassment or health concerns at the event. Some fans reported they were unable to make the phone number work. Others reported that cell service at the track was so poor they were unable to make contact with anyone.

Further, the track suddenly closed down one general admission area halfway through the weekend without mentioning anything to fans:

While the sudden outpouring of news regarding rude fans after each race weekend may seem surprising — why has this suddenly become an issue? — I do want to note that this has been a regular occurrence for decades. The advent of social media and a growing public sentiment that such behavior is unacceptable and not simply part of a race weekend has resulted in these reports gaining traction.