FIA chief backs F1 champ over 'hateful' online comments

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has backed a four-time Formula 1 world champion over online abuse.

Ben Sulayem and the FIA are currently in the spotlight ahead of this week's season opener in Australia after a combative 2024, as Max Verstappen goes for his fifth straight drivers' title.

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But ahead of the showpiece event, one of the sport's greatest-ever drivers has come out to express his sadness having been subjected to hateful online messages regarding his intense rivalry with fellow legend Ayrton Senna.

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FIA boss speaks out against Prost abuse

The Frenchman's on-track battles with the three-time champion captured the imagination of fans around the world during the late 80s, with the duo still thought of as two of the best to have ever got behind the wheel.

The rivalry came to a head at the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix, where the two drivers collided seven laps from the end of the race in Suzuka.

Senna was pushed back on to the track following the incident and managed to fight back to claim the victory he needed to maintain his championship bid, but was later controversially disqualified, thus handing the title to Prost, who was blamed by many for causing the clash.

And despite retiring from the sport over 30 years ago, he says it is still hard to shake off the criticism.

“I can’t not think about Ayrton, fortunately or unfortunately,” he said, as reported by Motorsport.com. 

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“For example, I’m considering turning off my Instagram, because I get messages every day, really every day without exception – from time to time there’s a hateful one, that can happen.”

"My biggest fan base on social media is from Brazil, of all places, so I'm forced to think of him. Indirectly, I've been living around this story for 30 years, and it will probably stay that way for the rest of my life."

Following this, FIA president Mohamed Ben Sulayem came out in support of Prost, taking to Instagram to write an heartfelt post, promising action to tackle the issue of social media abuse.

"Former world champion, Alain Prost should not be driven off social media due to online abuse," he wrote. "His experience highlights the harsh reality faced by sports men and women at all levels - daily abuse, harassment and even threats.

"Under mine and the FIA’s leadership, United Against Online Abuse is developing the educational, technological, and regulatory solutions needed to protect competitors, officials, and fans to ensure that sport remains a place of strong but fair and inclusive competition."

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A post shared by Mohammed Ben Sulayem (@mohammed.ben.sulayem)

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