F1 | Verstappen: uncomfortable question triggers abuse against journalist
Sky F1 journalist Rachel Brookes has revealed that she became the target of a significant wave of online abuse following her interview with Max Verstappen after his controversial collision with George Russell during the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix.
According to Rachel Brookes, the question originated from discussions that had taken place during the live television broadcast, where several commentators had suggested that the Red Bull driver’s manoeuvre may have been intentional.
“I simply repeated what our experts were discussing during the broadcast. That’s why I asked Max whether the contact had been deliberate,” the presenter explained.
Rachel Brookes stressed that her intentions were purely professional and driven by a desire to clarify an incident that had become one of the most talked-about topics in the paddock: “I didn’t think I was doing anything brave. It was simply a question that I felt was legitimate in that context,” she added.
While several colleagues from the television industry expressed their support, the reaction from a section of fans on social media was far less positive: “I received terrible messages, some of them completely unacceptable. At one point, I decided to turn off the comments to stop that spiral of hate,” Rachel Brookes revealed.
The incident once again highlights the growing issue of online abuse directed at journalists, broadcasters and other professionals working within the world of sport.
As Formula 1 continues to expand its global audience and social media presence, figures involved in the sport increasingly find themselves exposed to intense scrutiny and, in some cases, personal attacks that go far beyond legitimate criticism.
Rachel Brookes’ experience serves as another reminder of the challenges faced by journalists who are simply doing their jobs while covering controversial moments involving some of the sport’s biggest stars.
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