Thursday’s press conference ahead of Formula One’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix became heated as Max Verstappen defended his decision to ignore team orders in Brazil and slammed the media reports and widespread online abuse.
The double world champion refused Red Bull’s instructions to give up his position to teammate Sergio Pérez, who is fighting for second in the drivers’ standings. Verstappen hinted that the reason was because of an incident earlier this year, but he has not revealed further details.
The 25-year-old said in Abu Dhabi that the team “had a bit of a miscommunication” in Brazil, revealing that “on Saturday and Sunday nothing had been said to me about a potential swap or whatever. It only came into that last lap that it was said on the radio and I think they should have known my response already from what I said the week before.”
He later added, “I think what we learned from that is that we have to be a little bit more open and we just have to communicate better to each other.” Verstappen went on to call out the media reports and how the radio row was covered, pointing out how online abuse started being directed towards his family.
“After that race, I looked very bad in the media, but they didn’t have the clear picture,” Verstappen said. “To immediately put me down like that is ridiculous to be honest, because they don’t know how I work within the team and what the team appreciates about me. So all the things I’ve read are pretty disgusting.
“Even more than that, they started attacking my family. They were threatening my sister and my mum, my girlfriend, my dad, and for me, that goes way too far when you don't even have the facts of what actually was going on and that definitely has to stop. If you have a problem with me, that's fine, but don't go after my family because that is just unacceptable.”
The Dutchman later added, “I just don’t understand when people don’t have the full picture to start attacking me like that. I hope one day they actually understand what was going on, because it’s just unacceptable behavior. Also in this paddock, to be honest. Not only fans but a lot of people, what they have been writing about me is ridiculous.”
The media then asked, again, what the full picture was, but similar to Red Bull’s statement and Pérez’s comments during his interviews, the team plans to keep those details internal. He said at one point, “It is just incredibly disappointing that while you’re not knowing the full facts, that people write so many bad things straight away. I don’t know why that is, but at the end of the day, you contribute to all the problems social media has by writing these kind of things.”
When asked why he wouldn’t set the record straight, Verstappen reiterated that what occurred would remain within the team, but added, “you don’t know the real story so you don’t need to write the story. But I’m just a bit fed up with all this bull----, just going around all the time.
“As soon as something negative that needs to be highlighted, and it’s pretty sickening, to be honest, being part of all that. While at the end of the day, I haven’t even done anything wrong. It’s just people misunderstood what was actually going on.”
Verstappen was later asked whether he pays attention to what the media writes or what is said on social media, and whether it gets to him and how he tries to block it out. The 25-year-old revealed just how far the online abuse has gone.
“Well, when your own sister writes you that it’s getting way too much and you have to do something about it, I think that says enough. So, yes, it does get to me because you cannot attack my family,” he said.
What Verstappen touched on has been an ongoing theme within Formula One, particularly this season as the sport, teams and drivers have repeatedly condemned fan abuse and harassment since the Austrian Grand Prix. Since then, Lando Norris opened up about death threats and online abuse he’s received, Verstappen and AlphaTauri condemned the abuse directed towards Red Bull principal strategy engineer Hannah Schmitz after the Dutch Grand Prix and Alpine recently released two different statements condemning online abuse. One was ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix in regards to online abuse being directed towards FIA steward Silvia Bellot in wake of Fernando Alonso’s penalty debacle, and the team released another statement last weekend after the hateful, toxic comments made following the sprint race.
Red Bull also condemned the widespread abusive comments directed towards their drivers, their families and the team following Brazil in a statement Thursday.
“The events that followed from a social media point of view are completely unacceptable. The abusive online behaviour towards Max, Checo, the Team and their respective families is shocking and saddening and unfortunately is something that we as a sport are having to address with depressing regularity. There is no place for it in racing or society as a whole and we need to do and be better. At the end of the day this is a sport, we are here to race. Death threats, hate mail, vitriol towards extended family members is deplorable. We value inclusion and want a safe space for everyone to work in and enjoy our sport. The abuse needs to stop.”
