Toto Wolff reflected on the "terrible" abuse he received as a youngster amid reports of sexism, racism and homophobia from some fans at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Several fans in attendance at the Red Bull Ring reported being targeted by other race-goers at the track. F1 bosses spoke to the race promotor in a bid to tighten security, while Lewis Hamilton said he was "disgusted" to hear of such abuse.
Mercedes chief Wolff was blunt when asked for his response, simply telling those people giving abuse to others to "f**k off". He said: "If you are part of that category, f**k off. We just need to target these guys and pick them out and say 'you'.
"I think it's just people being stupid. 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."
But the reports also sparked some horrible memories from his past, as Wolff revealed that he knows exactly how it feels to be personally attacked in such a way. "I was the subject of anti-Semitism in Vienna," he added. "I wasn't a Jew but my best friend was and I lived with his family.
"And I know how it is on Saturday morning to walk into the synagogue and have anti-Semitic abuse and it is just terrible. I think how it has evolved over time. It was somehow understood that you have to accept a little bit of suffering if somebody was making a sexist comment or something that was just described as banter, but today, that is just not on anymore.
“People feel truly hurt or discriminated and that is why we all need to be more aware. We have grown up with that banter – how many pictures do I still get sent 'hehe, haha' but I have the perfect professor at home.
"Susie [Wolff] sees that and says that was seen as funny 10 years ago because nobody cared, but I can tell you it's borderline, or for me that is too much. For us guys who have had that, it was always seen as banter. We just need to have a little bit of a mind shift because the girls and the ladies don't want that anymore."
