This weekend's Austrian Grand Prix has been turned into a home event for Red Bull driver Max Verstappen. More than 60,000 fans have travelled from the Netherlands to support the Dutch driver and current front-runner in the title race, who is sitting in <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/f1/2022/07/09/max-verstappen-on-austrian-sprint-pole-but-more-misery-for-mercedes/" target="_blank">pole position for Sunday's race</a> at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. And the partisan support has not impressed Verstappen's old rival Lewis Hamilton. Speaking on Saturday night, the Briton took aim at a number of the world champion’s supporters after they cheered his 140mph qualifying crash. Hamilton said: “I don’t agree with any of that, no matter what. A driver could have been in hospital, and you are going to cheer that? “It is mind-blowing that people would do that, knowing how dangerous our sport is. I was grateful I didn’t end up in hospital and I wasn’t heavily injured.” And Formula One bosses have launched an investigation into reports of fans being subjected to “completely unacceptable” abuse at the GP. A number of allegations have emerged on social media from people attending this weekend’s race. A statement from F1 read: “We have been made aware of reports that some fans have been subject to completely unacceptable comments by others at the Austrian Grand Prix. “We take these matters very seriously, have raised them with the promoter and event security, and will be speaking to those who reported the incidents. “This kind of behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.” Hamilton added his frustration at the reports, adding: “Attending the Austrian Grand Prix or any GP should never be a source of anxiety and pain for fans and something must be done to ensure that races are safe spaces for all. “Please, if you see this happening, report it to circuit security and to F1. We cannot sit back and allow this to continue.”
