Matteo Bobbi and Davide Valsecchi made the remarks during post-race analysis of last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.
Speaking from the studio to Valsecchi, who was in the Catalunya paddock, Bobbi pointed to a woman in the background and referred to her as an ‘upgrade package’, to which Valsecchi replied: ‘I already know them but they told me I can’t test them. So I raise my hands.’
The exchange shocked viewers and visibly angered their colleague Federica Masolin who was with Valsecchi at the time.
She told the pair to ‘be careful’ but as the joke continued added: ‘Can we watch some interviews instead of these two? Let’s hear from Carlos Sainz, please. I’m going to censure you two.’
Later, Masolin read a viewer’s comment on air: ‘Fabio is concerned for your physical safety, Matteo and Davide. “Will they be safe and sound, after this gag, at the next Grand Prix. Would it be appreciated above all by their wives?”‘
But this did not stop the pair for continuing to joke around, with Matteo responding: ‘Well when I get home I’ll get a beating, probably. Sorry, Davide.’
Valsecchi then replied: ‘Well you know I’ve had eye surgery twice because I’ve been losing sight since I was a child, looking at those things.’
Following this shocking incident, the Express report that Sky Sports have suspended the pair and they will not be part of the broadcaster’s coverage of the next round in Canada on 18th June.
Following the exchange, both former drivers apologised for their comments on social media, with Bobbi posting on Twitter: ‘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. I reiterated my total and deep respect for all women and in particular starting with the woman I have next to me.
‘For 10 years I have been commentating on F1 with Sky friends, a family now, and in 10 years I have never found myself in such an unpleasant situation.
‘I’ve always thought that from mistakes you learn and start again. What happened will me to try to improve further as a man and as a professional.’
On Instagram, Valsecchi wrote: ‘I’m so sorry, because on Sunday in the post-race I fell into an exchange of bad-tasteful jokes and used unsuitable and disrespectful words. And I’m not.
‘This is why I would like to apologise to those who felt offended, to women and to Sky. Really.’
This incident comes just a week after Formula E sacked their long-time lead commentator Jack Nicholls for alleged ‘inappropriate behaviour’, with the BBC also removing him from their radio coverage of the Spanish Grand Prix.
Sky Sports’ veteran F1 pundit Martin Brundle also found himself in hot water over the weekend after referring to Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu as a ‘Chinaman’.
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