Sky Sports Italia have suspended both the Italian commentators after the sexist comments video went viral.
Two Italian F1 commentators Matteo Bobbi and Davide Valsecchi have been suspended by Sky Sports after they were seen making sexist remarks about a woman live on air. The incident took place during the post-race analysis of the Spanish Grand Prix and a video clip of the controversial interaction went viral on social media in no time.
The Sky Network suspended the duo after a major backlash from viewers and confirmed that the duo won’t be working during the next Grand Prix in Canada.
The commentators lost control of their words during the post-race live show and made inappropriate remarks on air. They made sexist comments about a woman in the background around the paddock, with Bobbi referring to her as an “upgrade package”, inviting Valsecchi to look behind him. Valsecchi took a look and said: “I know, but they told me I can’t test them. So I raise my hands.”
The comments were made in bad taste even though they might just be joking and clearly embarrassed the female Sky Sport journalist Federica Masolin, who advised the pair “to be careful”.
Both Bobbi and Valsecchi later apologised on Instagram but it wasn’t enough to save them from suspension. However, the suspension is only temporary and they will be back to work in the last week of June.
F1 maintains a strong stance against racism and sexism
This is not the first incident of discrimination on live television in the recent past. Last year, former F1 champion Nelson Piquet created controversy after using racist slurs against Lewis Hamilton.
Piquet was speaking to Motorsport Talk’s Ricardo Oliveira, in Portuguese, about Hamilton’s clash with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at the British Grand Prix in 2021, which ended with the Dutch driver going off the track and suffering a major impact with the barriers. The Brazilian used a racist term in the interview and the footage went viral on social media leading to a lot of backlash from the whole F1 community including the fans.
Earlier, French sports Journalist Lionel Froissart was suspended for his comments on Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll. Froissart was quoted calling the Canadian driver ‘Autistic’ during the Austrian Grand Prix.
Froissart was working for the Belgian French-language network RTBF Sport as a part of their Austrian GP coverage when he made those comments. The F1 commentator was heard saying, Aston Martin “want to keep Vettel, it’s not Lance Stroll the autistic who is going to understand anything about cars”. Froissart was called out by his fellow commentator Gaetan Vigneron who considered the remark “too strong” and that he “went too far”, but Froissart doubled down and replied, “Honestly, that is the truth.”
More Formula One News
- Lewis Hamilton doesn’t support IOC’s decision on Black Lives Matter gear during Olympics
- Max Verstappen left surprised as he reaches 100 race milestone with Red Bull
- Damon Hill left in awe after Lewis Hamilton racks up 100 poles in F1 ahead of 2021 Spanish GP
Follow our dedicated Formula One page for instant Formula One news and updates
