Sky Sports F1 presenter Rachel Brookes has opened up about the intense online abuse she received after questioning Max Verstappen about his controversial clash with George Russell during the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix.
Throughout the 2025 season, Verstappen found himself in the unusual position of chasing rivals rather than leading the championship. McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were widely regarded as the main title contenders, while the Dutchman embraced the role of underdog for the first time since securing his maiden world title in dramatic fashion in 2021.
One of the season’s most talked-about moments came in Spain when Verstappen collided with Russell. During Sky F1’s coverage, former world champion Nico Rosberg suggested the contact appeared deliberate. Later, when Brookes interviewed Verstappen in the media pen, she directly asked whether the move had been intentional.
Verstappen, who received a 10-second penalty for the incident, responded by asking whether it mattered. Brookes replied that it did, particularly for fans watching the sport. Her questioning quickly became a major talking point among Formula 1 fans, with many taking to social media to criticise her approach.
Speaking on the Road to Success podcast, Brookes insisted she has always had great respect for Verstappen and that there has never been any personal issue between them.
She explained that her question was based on Rosberg’s analysis rather than her own judgment. As a former Formula 1 driver and world champion, Rosberg’s opinion carried significant weight, and Brookes felt it was reasonable to put that viewpoint directly to Verstappen.
Brookes also revealed that her comments came from a fan’s perspective. Having recently watched Verstappen pull off a stunning overtaking move at Imola, she felt the collision with Russell detracted from the brilliance that makes him one of the sport’s standout talents.
According to Brookes, moments like the Spanish Grand Prix incident give critics reason to focus on controversy rather than Verstappen’s achievements. She stressed that her intention was not to lecture the Red Bull driver but to understand his thinking and represent the questions many viewers were asking at home.
While several broadcasters praised her for asking a difficult question that others chose to avoid, the reaction online was far less supportive.
Brookes revealed that she received a flood of abusive messages in the aftermath of the interview, including comments claiming she should never be allowed to have children because she was a poor role model.
Describing the abuse as “horrendous,” she said the level of hostility shocked her, particularly because many of the messages appeared to come from people presenting themselves as family-oriented individuals online.
The backlash eventually became so overwhelming that Brookes decided to disable comments on her social media accounts. Reflecting on the experience, she emphasised that the controversy stemmed from a sporting incident and should never have resulted in such personal attacks.