Former F2 champion suspended from Sky Sports after making sexist comments during 2023 F1 Spanish GP - Reports

Former F2 champion Davide Valsecchi and former driver Matteo Bobbi have reportedly been suspended from the Sky Sports Italy team for making sexist comments during the 2023 F1 Spanish GP. The two former drivers made the comments about their colleague Federica Masolin, who was co-presenting with them.

While Masolin tried laughing the event off, fans quickly took to social media and called out the Sky Sports Italy presenters. Following an investigation by Sky, the duo has now been suspended from the 2023 Canadian GP.

Matteo Bobbi put out a statement of apology following the incident, saying:

“On Sunday, in the post-race I was the protagonist of a joke that came out in a completely unhappy way, although it was not my intention. I created an unpleasant moment that upset some people. I ended up in the gravel. Being anything but a disrespectful person, I sincerely apologise to those who felt offended by it."

The F1 presenter continued:

“I reiterated my total and deep respect for all women and in particular starting with the woman I have next to me."

The news comes a little while after former commenter Jack Nicholls was fired from Formula E for inappropriate conduct with women.

F1 and DHL partner up to introduce bio-fueled trucks

Meanwhile, in a collaborative effort, Formula 1 and logistics powerhouse DHL have partnered to introduce eco-friendly trucks for the European segment of the 2023 season. These trucks, powered by bio-fuels, are expected to decrease carbon emissions by a minimum of 60% compared to conventional fuels.

DHL's initial sustainable fleet comprises 18 trucks running on HV0100, a special fuel derived from hydrotreated vegetable oil. Throughout the European races of the season, these trucks are projected to cover approximately 10,600 kilometers.

Featuring GPS technology, the newly implemented trucks enable fuel consumption monitoring and optimized route planning, leading to enhanced efficiency. While reducing carbon emissions, these trucks maintain equivalent load capacity and travel distance capabilities as their diesel counterparts. Additionally, they contribute to a safer and more sustainable sourcing process.

The utilization of bio-fueled trucks marks the latest sustainable initiative by F1 as the sport strives to achieve Carbon Net Zero by 2030. This endeavor builds upon previous measures such as transitioning to remote broadcast operations, exploring multimodal transport options like overland and ocean freight, and redesigning freight containers to facilitate more efficient loading onto Boeing 777 aircraft.

As F1 pioneers a cleaner future, it will be fascinating to witness the innovative solutions the sport embraces in the years to come. The sport's efforts mean that we can all enjoy drivers like Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton dominating the race tracks at a smaller cost to the environment.