Johnny Herbert reports receiving death threats following his role as a steward at the Australian Grand Prix.
Fernando Alonso was handed a 20-second penalty for being deemed responsible for George Russell’s dramatic off-track incident in Melbourne.
Since then, Herbert has been the target of numerous intimidation attempts orchestrated by disgruntled fans. The former F1 driver felt compelled to speak out.
“I was a steward at the Australian GP, and the repercussions have been severe,” he revealed. “I’ve received a deluge of death threats via social media, I’m fortunate to have a thick skin. I find it pathetic that I was thrown to the wolves in this manner.”
“My dispute with Alonso dates back to Bahrain two years ago. A few years earlier, when he was with McLaren, Alonso kept complaining. I was working for Sky and I said that if Alonso wasn’t happy, he should leave the team. I never said he should retire.”
“Then he came up to me in Bahrain and told me he was a world champion and that he wouldn’t retire to become a commentator because that was for those who aren’t champions. The fans then used this jab as a weapon against me after Australia.”
“There were messages with dagger emojis, people saying they knew my address. Most of them were Spanish. They should have understood because the explanation for the decision to penalize Alonso was included in the statement that was published.”
“People also said that because I had never been a world champion, I wasn’t qualified to have an opinion.”
“The threats have lasted for two weeks and continue. It’s part of social media where everyone has an opinion, but doesn’t have the exact facts to back it up. It happens too often now. Athletes are bombarded with death threats. And many suffer because of it. The cruelty and abuse occur in all walks of life, even among ordinary people,” concludes Herbert.
Herbert Receives Death Threats from Alonso Supporters. Herbert Receives Death Threats from Alonso Supporters
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