IndyCar released a statement Tuesday decrying “disrespectful and inappropriate online abuse” directed at some of its drivers following Sunday’s race in Long Beach, California.
The move to later Callum Ilott And Agustin Canapinoteammate at Juncos Hollinger Racing, both had disappointing results in Sunday’s Grand Prix of Long Beach, with Lott finishing 19th, speeding a lap, while Canapino was knocked out of the race after a collision touch with Helio Castroneves and suffered the first DNF of the season.
Many fans took to social media to blame Ilott for Canapino’s blockage of the track in front of his teammates.
Ilott tackles hate his way — specifically answering an Argentine television station — in one Twitter posts in Monday. But that only seemed to fan the flames.
Since Ilott’s post, IndyCar’s statement has been retweeted by several IndyCar drivers.
– LINE NTT INDYCAR (@IndyCar) April 18, 2023
Pato O’Ward switch to social media with a long post to “encourage people to choose their words wisely and to seriously consider the damage they can cause.” O’Ward has been criticized for aggressive driving in Long Beach, including exposure to the six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon; O’Ward insisted after the race that he would not apologize for racing hard.
And Canapino himself consider Tuesday morning. “Nothing allows us to spread hate and disrespect to others,” he wrote. “Not just in a competition, but in life in general.”
All this comes later Kyle Kirkwood two weeks ago decry “How Many Hate Letters I Received” for a pit lane collision at the Texas Motor Speedway with Alexander Rossi in which Rossi was fined.
Online abuse has long been an ongoing problem with a variety of defenses. Some can ignore the hate, some clap back, and some are deeply affected. Nicholas Latifi had to take a social media break after the 2021 Formula 1 season finale, where fans blamed his late crash as the cause of his cost Lewis Hamilton eighth world championship record.
Latifi later said: “What shocked me was the extreme attitude of hate, abuse and even death threats that I received.
F1’s governing body has vowed to crack down on online abuse after drivers expressed concern to the FIA about the growing amount of hatred heading their way.
Two-time defending world champion F1 Max Verstappen has attached increasing virulence to the development of F1, which has exploded in global popularity during the pandemic in part because its Netflix docuseries has offered fresh insights. for the series.
“There are more viewers, so more people write. It’s not nice that they’re allowed to write things like this, so I hope we can come up with some kind of algorithm that stops people from being heroes. keyboard,” Verstappen said. “Because of these types of people – they will never come to you and say these things in front of you.”
IndyCar doesn’t come close to F1 in terms of viewership, but the recent irritation aimed at drivers shows that its fans are just as passionate as any other sport or racing series.
IndyCar is now entering its most important phase of the season, with testing for next month’s Indianapolis 500 set to begin this week. This is the period when IndyCar viewership and appeal will peak.
The series would attract more attention if it were about actual racing — three different winners across three races, a resurgent Andretti Autosport and the growing popularity of young driver O. ‘Ward — it’s not the fans who blame the racers for road problems.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report
