Formula 1 Red Bull Engineer Stopped In Airport So Security Could ‘Sniff His Underwear’

Doubtful that 'sniffing' is listed in airport protocol.

Calum Nicholas Red Bull

Image: @f1mech

A Red Bull Formula One mechanic was stopped in Abu Dhabi airport before the last race of the F1 season, with the airport staff reportedly “sniffing [his] underwear.”


Engineer Calum Nicholas took to Twitter yesterday to reveal his strange interaction at the airport.

Mr Nicholas said, “Walk through Abu Dhabi airport, with the whole team… they decide they need to search my bags, just me…every single year, same s**t! I wonder why it’s just me.”

The Red Bull employee then revealed the bizarre stunt that the airport staff pulled next. He said,

“The guy was sniffing my underwear… weird flex.”

He continued, “He then asked if the team issued Tag watch in my bag belonged to me.”

It is one thing to stop someone and search someone at an airport, but it is highly doubtful that airport protocol suggests having a whiff of passengers as they head through security.

He also replied to a comment on his tweet saying that this is not the first time he has also been stopped in Abu Dhabi airport.

He stated, I’d say that in the 10 years I’ve flown into this airport, it’s happened at least 8 times. It’s not random.“

Mr Nicholas has spoken openly before on social media about the almost daily occurrence of racial abuse he receives.

Airport passenger profiling can be one example of this. Airport Technology point out that it is often argued that profiling disproportionally affects those who are of ethnic minorities and can be perceived as discriminatory and racist.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Calum Nicholas will be hoping Sergio Perez can get the job done in Abu Dhabi this weekend. Image: @f1mech

Despite his experience, Calum Nicholas will need to shift his focus to the last race of the Formula One season in Abu Dhabi.

Although Red Bull have already won the Constructors Championship and Max Verstappen has already been crowned ‘king of F1’ in the 2022, Red Bull’s Sergio Perez is currently tied in second place with Ferrari’s Charles LeClerc on 290 points apiece.

Perez had a chance to go two points ahead of LeClerc in Brazil at the weekend but was not given the opportunity to overtake teammate Max Verstappen, despite Verstappen given team orders to do so.

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