Wolff tells abusive F1 fans to 'f--- off and stay away'!

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff and the F1 community in general showed zero tolerance for those F1 fans who were abusive towards others during the Austrian Grand Prix race weekend.

Reports emerged on Saturday of acts of abuse and harassment at the Red Bull Ring, with a wave of complaints directed at Formula 1 and at the FIA posted on social media, and describing first-hand accounts of homophobic, racist or sexist behaviour.

On Sunday, the Formula One Group issued a statement in which it condemned in no uncertain terms the abuse and promised to address the issue with the organisers of the Austrian Grand Prix.

Many voices in the paddock denounced the unacceptable behaviour, with Wolff directing a few pointed at those fans unworthy of sitting in the grandstands.

"F--- off ! If you are part of that category, f--- off," said the Mercedes boss whose team invited two victims of abuse to watch the race in the paddock on Sunday,

"We just need to target these guys and pick them out and say 'you'.

"This is what Formula One has said and we have said and that you need to report to the security if you can. And whoever reads my sentence: stay away, we don't want you if you are part of that group.

"I think it's just people being stupid," added the Austrian. "I have no other explanation for people abusing -- in whatever way, sexist, hedonistic, homophobic or racist - you are just simply brainless. And no alcohol can excuse that.

"The sport polarises and triggers emotions, we want that. We shouldn't condemn all of them but put these few idiots out."

• Read also: F1 condemns 'unacceptable' fan abuse at Red Bull Ring

Aston Martin's Sebastian Vettel suggested that abusive fans, if identified, be given a life ban from motorsport's grandstands

"Horrible isn’t it? I think it is good that this stuff comes out, that’s the start, but it is horrible," Vettel said on Sunday.

“Whoever these people are they should be ashamed of themselves and they should be banned from racing events for their lives.

"I think there should be zero tolerance. If people have a good time and drink too much that’s OK, but it doesn’t justify or excuse wrong behaviour.

"We race as one, so, the fans are a part of that."

Many accounts and testimonies on social media described abuses originating from Dutch fans who were part of Max Verstappen's massive legion of supporters at the Red Bull Ring.

An estimated 50,000 fans of the reigning world champion - his 'orange army' – were seated in the grandstands this weekend, but Verstappen moved to condemn the reported abusers.

"Of course, it’s not good," Verstappen said. "These things shouldn’t happen. I read a few shocking things, so that’s clearly not OK.

"I shouldn’t even need to say this, I think this should be a general understanding that these things shouldn’t happen.

"A normal human being should think like that and should behave like that."

Verstappen suggested that organisers could boost security in the grandstands while also limiting the consumption of alcohol.

"Sometimes when you drink alcohol you do stupid things, and I’m not saying it’s an excuse, but these things can be regulated," said the Austrian Grand Prix runner-up.

"There’s a certain amount of alcohol maybe, before you say, ‘it’s time to go to bed and wake up again the next morning and be sober’. If you start to go really crazy, you can do all sorts of stupid things."

Lewis Hamilton, who was cheered by Verstappen fans when he crashed in qualifying on Friday, said F1 still has work to do to eradicate the bad and abusive behaviour.

"It just highlights that it’s still an issue all over, and it comes down to education and ignorance," said the Mercedes driver who finished Sunday's race third.

"So we all have to work together with our platforms to spread that positive word, with all of our platforms to all of those people who are watching.

"People should come here and feel safe, should feel included and should be able to follow whoever it is you want to follow.

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