An influencer present at the British Grand Prix had her access to the paddock revoked after an incident involving remarks deemed abusive towards an official.
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According to information reported by PlanetF1.com, an influencer known under the pseudonym Thandie lost her accreditation after a conflictual exchange in the Silverstone paddock.
Present as a guest in the areas dedicated to Formula 2 and the F1 Academy, she presents herself on Instagram as a journalist specialized in Formula 1 and MotoGP, where she uses the account @thanddd followed by about 4,000 people.
The incident reportedly involved Vince Markey, chief paddock manager for Motorsport UK, as well as his wife. According to several sources, the influencer allegedly made insulting remarks towards them during a trip on a bus reserved for the start of the Formula 2 races.
She notably used an insult towards Markey’s wife, provoking an immediate reaction from those present. The severity of the remarks led a member of the F2 organization to apologize for her behavior.
Faced with this situation, her access to the paddock was reportedly revoked immediately. According to available information, no public apology was made by the person concerned after the incident.
The growing presence of influencers poses new challenges
The popularity of Formula 1 has exploded in recent years, notably thanks to the success of the Netflix series Drive to Survive and the arrival of the F1 movie with Brad Pitt. This new exposure has attracted a much wider audience, including many influencers and content creators.
Their presence in the paddocks allows teams and the championship to reach a different audience, but it also raises questions about the necessary framework around these new guests.
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This is not the first time an incident involving social media personalities has occurred in the world of F1.
At the 2025 British Grand Prix, content creator Angryginge, real name Morgan Burtwistle, was notably arrested with two others after suspicions of damage to a Formula 1 display car. The three men were eventually released without charges.
A few months earlier, at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, two content creators also tried to enter restricted areas by posing as security agents. The two men, aged 18 at the time, were arrested by local police and charged with several offenses.
The FIA wants to strengthen the fight against abusive behavior
The issue of behavior of those present around Formula 1 has become an important topic for the FIA in recent years.
Under the presidency of Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the international federation has strengthened its stance against abuse, notably online. In 2023, it launched the United Against Online Abuse initiative after numerous attacks targeting a race steward following the 2022 United States Grand Prix.
The FIA also organized its first annual day dedicated to this campaign on July 7, 2026, just two days after the British Grand Prix.
As F1 continues to expand its global audience, managing behavior in the paddocks becomes a major issue to preserve the image and values of the championship.
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