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During the Mexican Grand Prix, fights broke out among spectators, and such scenes have no place in sports venues.
We could do without this. On Sunday evening, there were numerous troublemakers. First in Marseille, where so-called supporters threw stones at the Olympique Lyonnais bus and took offense at the sight of a French flag. These incidents upset the Lyon coach and led to the cancellation of the match.
Thousands of miles away, at the Mexico City circuit, the same type of agitators started a fight in the stands. The clash was not broadcast on television, but images are easy to find on X (formerly Twitter): a man wearing Ferrari colors repeatedly hits other fans before they fight back. The motive remains unclear, although it is tempting to blame disgruntled Ferrari fans. In the first corner, Sergio Pérez collided with Charles Leclerc after a misjudgment, eliminating the local driver from the race and disappointing thousands of spectators. It's understandable to be upset when your favorite driver drops out, especially in such delicate circumstances, but attacking the first person you see is inexcusable. The Ferrari fan had nothing to do with the collision, which was Pérez's fault. Once again, the sport reveals one of its darkest sides, and that's a shame. Rivalries may exist, but respect must prevail. Throwing stones, hitting, threatening, or insulting other fans who share the same passion serves no purpose. Take the Rugby World Cup, for example: nearly two months of competition and virtually no clashes between fans, except for a handful of English fans whose drinking habits sometimes get out of hand. Only a few incidents involving referees have been reported, and even those are too many. How many Irish fans shared a drink with French fans or fans from other nations? There is mutual respect, and that's what we love about this sport. Even though rugby has taken a turn for the worse in recent years, we should still follow its example. So, gentlemen—because it is mainly men who commit these offenses—stop. Otherwise, we risk seeing empty stadiums like the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille, with games played behind closed doors. If OM is not heavily penalized, we will soon lose all sense of order. These troublemakers should be banned for life from attending any sporting event and face severe legal penalties. Let's make sure Formula 1 remains a noble sport, even if we are increasingly tempted to take a nap on Grand Prix days.
