Formula One legend, Alain Prost, has expressed his disillusionment with social media due to the constant barrage of abuse he receives in relation to his long-standing rivalry with Ayrton Senna. Prost, a stalwart of the Formula 1 racing scene, has revealed that he is seriously contemplating shutting down his social media presence primarily due to the vitriolic messages he regularly receives.
Prost and Senna, both iconic figures of Formula 1, were known for their intense rivalry during their tenure at McLaren, leading to some of the most defining moments in the history of the sport. Their turbulent relationship, however, started to mellow around the time Senna tragically passed away in a crash at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
The Frenchman, Prost, has often been painted as the antagonist in the narrative of Senna’s life, most notably in the 2010 movie ‘Senna’. A recent Netflix series about Senna, which also carries his name, has stirred up Prost’s frustration. The F1 legend vehemently criticized the show, stating to Germany’s Motorsport-Total.com, “Almost everything has been completely fictionalized. I don’t really want to talk about it anymore.”
In a conversation with Canal+ during the series’ launch, Prost voiced his dissatisfaction with the portrayal of his character. He stated, “People act like I’m arrogant, and honestly, if there’s one thing I can really dismiss, it’s that.” He expressed his discontent with the fact that the series propagated several false narratives about him, further adding to his villainous persona.
Prost, who retired from Formula 1 after securing his final championship title in 1993, has endured the label of being Senna’s primary adversary for years following Senna’s untimely demise. The extent of the hostility directed towards him on social media platforms has led him to question his public accessibility.
The F1 veteran has revealed that he receives hostile messages daily, primarily from his largest social media fan base in Brazil. This constant negativity has led him to consider disconnecting from social media platforms like Instagram.
The recurrent abuse has attracted the attention of the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile), which launched a ‘United Against Online Abuse’ initiative to counter the rampant tribalism and hatred in the sport. In response to Prost’s experiences, a spokesperson for the campaign stated, “As a former world champion in his sport, Alain Prost should not be driven off social media due to online abuse. His experience highlights the harsh reality faced by sportsmen and women at all levels—daily abuse, harassment, and even threats.”
Prost reminisces about the brief unity among fans following Senna’s tragic death, “When Ayrton died tragically on 1 May 1994, the ‘beauty’ of it, in a way, was that the fans came together. In other words, there was no more hatred among the fans.”
Despite these harsh experiences, Prost acknowledges the complexity of their relationship and the evolution it underwent on Senna’s part after his retirement. He stated, “He said to me several times: ‘Come back, I’m not motivated to race against the others.’ Those six months also made me understand, and in a way forgive, all the things we did in the more difficult years of our relationship.”
While Prost remains resolute in protecting the private nature of their relationship, he is uncertain about allowing similar portrayals of his life and career in the future. He concludes, “I have other things to do in life than just talk about what happened to Ayrton. I know what he was like, I know exactly. That’s it.”
