Sky F1's Rachel Brookes reveals 'horrific' abuse after Verstappen interview

Rachel Brookes has opened up about the severe online backlash she faced after questioning Max Verstappen over his collision with George Russell at the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix. The Sky F1 presenter revealed she temporarily disabled her social media comments after receiving "horrific" abuse for asking whether the move was deliberate, a query drawn directly from Nico Rosberg's commentary.

Why it matters:

Brookes' account underscores the escalating toxicity aimed at broadcasters who ask difficult questions, even when simply reflecting analysis from a former world champion on their own team. Her experience highlights the increasingly hostile environment facing journalists in the Formula 1 paddock.

The details:

• Verstappen received a 10-second penalty at the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix after colliding with Russell's Mercedes.
• Brookes relayed Rosberg's suggestion that the move looked deliberate, prompting Verstappen to reply: "Does it matter?"
• She argued the incident took "some of the shine off" his brilliance after his stunning Imola start earlier that year.
• Broadcasting peers praised her professionalism, with some admitting they would have been "too scared" to ask the same question.
• Brookes received "enormous amounts of vile abuse," including messages claiming she should never have children, forcing her to temporarily shut down Instagram comments.

Between the lines:

The vitriol aimed at Brookes exposes a disturbing gap between sporting passion and basic decency. That many abusive profiles appeared to belong to fathers of daughters makes the personal attacks even more troubling, highlighting how legitimate paddock journalism can still provoke wildly disproportionate rage.