Verstappen hits out at 'sickening' criticism, abuse

Max Verstappen has deed retired astatine the media for stories written astir him aft the Brazilian Grand Prix and branded the societal media maltreatment helium and his household received successful the aftermath "disgusting."

Verstappen, who won the 2022 rubric successful October, did not obey a squad bid from Red Bull to fto Sergio Perez walk connected the last lap, which would person helped the Mexican driver's bid for 2nd successful the championship.

Verstappen aboriginal explained that helium refused due to the fact that of an incidental from earlier successful the season, though nary further details were given.

Red Bull enactment retired a connection Thursday, soon earlier Verstappen faced the press, outlining that its ain mistakes had led to the squad orders controversy and that it had not decently communicated with the Dutchman until the last lap.

The two-time satellite champion is upset astatine the disapproval helium received.

"After that race, I looked precise atrocious successful the media," Verstappen said successful a quality league up of Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. "But they didn't person the wide picture.

"To instantly enactment maine down similar that is ridiculous, to beryllium honest, due to the fact that they don't cognize however I enactment wrong the squad and what the squad appreciates astir me."

Speaking of the discussions with Red Bull and Perez aft the race, helium said: "We had immoderate bully discussions, we enactment everything connected the array and everything has been solved. In hindsight we should person had that speech earlier due to the fact that I've ne'er been a atrocious teammate. I person ever been precise helpful. The squad knows that -- I ever enactment the squad up beforehand due to the fact that astatine the extremity of the time it is simply a squad effort."

The refusal to travel the squad bid was, according to Dutch media, down to Verstappen's content that Perez intentionally crashed during qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix successful May to guarantee helium started ahead.

Dutch property has reported that Perez admitted doing truthful a fewer weeks later. In his ain property league Thursday, Perez categorically denied some claims.

Perez and Red Bull person some said Monaco did not travel up successful the gathering which followed the Brazil race.

On Thursday Verstappen was fixed aggregate opportunities to explicate the incidental helium was referring to, but helium declined to bash so.

"We support it betwixt the squad and myself," Verstappen said. "[The media] don't cognize the existent story, truthful you don't request to constitute the story.

"I'm conscionable a spot fed up with each this bulls--- conscionable going astir each the time. As soon arsenic there's thing negative, it needs to beryllium highlighted. It's beauteous sickening to beryllium honest, being portion of each that. At the extremity of the time I haven't done thing wrong, radical conscionable misunderstood what was going on."

Verstappen suggested that the media sum of the lawsuit fueled the maltreatment aimed astatine him and his household implicit the past week.

He added: "It's conscionable incredibly disappointing that, without knowing the afloat facts, that radical constitute truthful galore atrocious things consecutive away.

"I don't cognize wherefore that is but astatine the extremity of the time you lend to the problems societal media has, by penning these things. The squad knows however I enactment with them and I've ever been bully to the team."

The taxable of societal media maltreatment is becoming an progressively concerning for Formula One. FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem precocious warned that online maltreatment could destruct F1 if near unchecked.

Red Bull's Thursday connection had besides condemned the maltreatment the Verstappens received.

"All the things I've work are beauteous disgusting," Verstappen said. "They've started attacking my family, they threatened my sister, my mum, my girlfriend, and my dad.

"And for maine that goes mode excessively acold erstwhile you don't person the facts of what's really going connected and for maine that decidedly has to stop. If you person a occupation with maine that's fine, but don't spell aft my household due to the fact that that is conscionable unacceptable.

"I conscionable don't recognize erstwhile radical don't person the afloat representation to commencement attacking maine similar that. I anticipation 1 time they really recognize what was going on, due to the fact that it's conscionable unacceptable behaviour. Also successful this paddock, to beryllium honest. Not lone fans but a batch of people, what they person been penning astir maine is ridiculous."

When asked if helium is capable to unopen retired what radical constitute connected societal media, the reigning champion said: "Well, erstwhile your ain sister writes to you that it's getting excessively overmuch and you request to bash thing astir it, I deliberation that says enough. And yes, it does get to me, due to the fact that you cannot onslaught my family."

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is the last contention of the 2022 F1 season. Verstappen has had a record-breaking year, winning 14 races.