World champion, Max Verstappen has explained the reason for his boycott of Sky TV over the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend.
Other than the dreaded budget cap saga, a couple of other stories have gathered pace over the Mexico weekend, one being a social media 'spat' involving Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso and the other a so-called boycott of Sky by the Red Bull team.
Speaking at today's post-race press conference, race-winner Max Verstappen was asked about the boycott.
"It had nothing to do with this weekend," he told reporters. "But this year, it's been a constant… kind of like digging, being disrespectful, especially one particular person.
"And at one point it's enough you know? I don't accept it.
"You can't live in the past, you just have to move on," he added. "At the moment, social media is a very toxic place. And if you are constantly being like that, live on TV, you make it only worse instead of trying to make it better in the world. You keep being… You keep disrespecting me, and one point I'm not tolerating it anymore, so that's why I decided to stop answering."
Verstappen is understood to be referring to comments made over the United States Grand Prix weekend, when Ted Kravitz said that Lewis Hamilton was "robbed" of the 2021 title.
While Verstappen and teammate Sergio Perez spoke to journalists, including Sky representatives, in the post-race press conference and in the pen, there were none of the usual one-on-ones, surprising when one considers that Christian Horner is a regular go-to for the broadcaster.
"We were obviously disappointed with a series of derogatory comments that have been made on Sky," said Horner, who was keen to make clear that he wasn't referring solely to the British Sky channel but those in Germany and Italy also. "So we felt that this weekend we'd just take a break and that it wouldn't do Sky any harm us taking a break this weekend.
"There needs to be balance in commentary," he added. "Some of the commentary's excellent but some of the pieces there's too much sensationalism being done. And we stand together as a team.
"We've been very clear it's not just been Sky UK," he insisted, "it's been across all of the Sky channels, Germany, Italy. It was just for this weekend, but it was just to register our discontent in sometimes some of the less impartial comments that are made or accusations that are sometimes made as TV seems to becoming ever more sensationalised."
Asked to expand his comments on the toxicity of social media, Verstappen said: "I think it's just the sport is more popular so there are more people watching, so more people are writing. I think it's just that.
"It's not great that they are allowed to write these kinds of things," he continued, "so I hope we can come up with a kind of algorithm that stops people from being keyboard warriors, because these kind of people… they will never come up to you and say these things in front of your face, because they're sitting in front of their desk or whatever at home, being upset, being frustrated, and they can write whatever they like because the platform allows you to. That can be really damaging and hurtful to some people and it's not how it should be."
"I think social media is getting more and more toxic as the years go on," agreed Lewis Hamilton. "I think we should probably get off it, ultimately.
"So many people… mental health is such a prominent thing right now. I know so many people reading their comments and the stuff that people say and it is hurtful.
"Fortunately, I don't read that stuff but the media platforms definitely need to do more to protect people, particularly young kids and women. But at the moment, they're not doing that so I think it will just continue."
"It's a shame how these people can feel how they feel, because you are just a public figure and they feel they can insult you, insult your family," said Sergio Perez. "They don't understand that we are also human beings.
"I think this has got to stop," he added. "Obviously, as a sport, we need to also be responsible of what we post, by ourselves. We all have a lot of followers so it's very important that we try to get the sport in the right way because Formula 1, it's a great sport and has great values, but has to do more in that regard. And just in general, the social media world is getting far too toxic."
Check out our Sunday gallery from Mexico City here.
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