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 fired back at 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 for 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.
Además, Herbert afirmó que Alonso se sentiría avergonzado al saber cómo sus fanáticos lo trataron. Él enfatizó que estas personas no son verdaderos fanáticos y destacó que amenazas similares fueron dirigidas a otros pilotos en el mundo de la F1, como en la carrera decisiva del título en 2021.
En otras noticias, el circo de la F1 regresará a Miami el próximo mes de mayo. A pesar de las amenazas que recibió, Herbert no descartó la posibilidad de ser comisario en la carrera. Él afirmó que no tiene miedo de estos mensajes y continuará realizando su trabajo con la máxima honestidad.
