Fernando Alonso received a 20-second penalty during the Australian GP. The collision that occurred on the penultimate lap of the race initially seemed ridiculous to many fans. However, after a more in-depth investigation, it was discovered that the accident was the result of a controversial decision made by the stewards. One of the stewards involved in this decision was a former F1 driver who surprisingly faced numerous death threats after penalizing Alonso.
Johnny Herbert and Fernando Alonso had a history of rivalries in the past. Herbert had advised Alonso to leave the sport when he used to criticize the engines. In response, Alonso retorted Herbert, stating that he did not see a future for himself as a commentator like Herbert. As a result, fans made connections between these incidents and the penalty Alonso received in Australia.
However, the 59-year-old Herbert denied these claims and revealed the extent of the repercussions he faced after the race. He shared that the consequences of his decision lasted approximately two weeks, during which he received comments and messages from fans containing dagger emojis and death threats. Most of these messages came from Spanish fans who belittled Herbert because he was never a world champion and believed he had made a shameful decision.
Although Herbert claimed that these messages did not affect him much, there were concerns about the potential danger to his safety due to comments about his whereabouts. He expressed disappointment with the attitude of these people and how they carry on with their daily lives.
De plus, Herbert a affirmé qu’Alonso serait embarrassé de savoir comment ses fans l’ont traité. Il a souligné que ces personnes ne sont pas de vrais fans et a souligné que des menaces similaires ont été dirigées vers d’autres pilotes dans le monde de la F1, comme lors de la course décisive pour le titre en 2021.
En d’autres nouvelles, le cirque de la F1 reviendra à Miami le mois prochain de mai. Malgré les menaces qu’il a reçues, Herbert n’a pas exclu la possibilité d’être commissaire lors de la course. Il a affirmé qu’il n’a pas peur de ces messages et continuera à faire son travail avec la plus grande honnêteté.
