The Formula 1 title was defined at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in favor of Max Verstappen after a series of events that unfolded in the last five laps of the race. Until then, Lewis Hamilton was leading the race with more than 10 seconds over the Red Bull and was close to victory, a result that would have given him his eighth world championship.
However, an accident to Nicholas Latifi’s Williams five laps from the end changed everything. That prompted the release of a safety car that allowed Verstappen to pit for new soft tyres, while the Mercedes car was left on track with used hard tyres.
Subsequently, Race Direction allowed the lapped cars between the two title contenders to overtake the safety car to leave a direct one-lap duel for the championship. Verstappen overtook Hamilton without much trouble.
The decisions caused the anger of Mercedes, who filed two protests that were rejected. In the end, both Toto Wolff , team leader, and the seven-time world champion decided not to go to the FIA gala due to their disagreement with the way the championship was resolved.
In the midst of all this controversy, there were those who blamed Latifi for Hamilton’s defeat. A week after the events, the Canadian pilot used his social networks to publish a letter and give his version of what happened in the last race.
Read Latifi’s full letter below
Hello everyone,
I have purposely stayed away from social media to let things settle down after the events of the last race.
There has been a lot of talk about the situation after I dropped out in Abu Dhabi . I have received thousands of messages on my social media accounts, both in public and through text messages. Most have been supportive, but there has also been a lot of hate and abuse.
I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to handle this. Do I ignore it and move on? Or do I deal with it and deal with the bigger problem that is unfortunately a reality when using social media?
This is not a written statement, but my speaking my mind in the hope that this can spark another conversation about online bullying and the drastic consequences it can have on people. Using social networks as a channel to attack someone with messages of hate, abuse and threats of violence is outrageous, and it is something that I am denouncing.
Going back to race weekend, as soon as the checkered flag fell I knew how things were going to play out on social media. The fact that I thought it would be best to delete Instagram and Twitter from my phone for a few days says everything we need to know about how cruel the online world can be.
The hate, abuse and threats that followed on social media did not surprise me as it is the stark reality of the world we live in now. I don’t find it strange that people talk about me negatively on the Internet; I think every athlete who competes on the world stage knows that they are subjected to extreme scrutiny and that is something that sometimes comes as standard.
But as we’ve seen time and time again, in all sports, it only takes one incident at the wrong time for things to spiral out of control and bring out the worst in so-called “fans” of the championship. What shocked me was the extreme tone of hate, abuse and even death threats I received.
Reflecting back on what happened during the race, there was only one group of people I had to apologize to for dropping out: my team. And I did right after. Everything else was out of my control.
Some said he was competing for a position that didn’t matter with a handful of laps to go. But whether I’m racing for wins, podiums, points or even last place, I’ll always give it my all until the checkered flag. I am the same as any other rider on the grid in that sense. For people who don’t understand or don’t agree with that and I’m fine with it. They may have their opinion, but using those opinions to fuel hate, abuse and threats of violence, not only towards me but also towards those close to me, tells me that these people are not true fans of this sport.
Fortunately, I am comfortable enough in my own skin, and have been in this world long enough to do a good job of letting any negativity creep in. But I know I’m not the only one who thinks that one negative comment always seems to stand out the most, and sometimes it can be enough to drown out 100 positive comments.
People will have their opinions, and that’s fine. Having thick skin is an important part of being an athlete, especially when you’re constantly in a position to be scrutinized. But a lot of the feedback I received last week crossed the line into something much more extreme. I am concerned about how someone else might react if they were ever directed at this same level of abuse. No one should let the activities of a vocal minority dictate who they are.
The events of the last week have made me realize how important it is to work together to prevent this kind of thing from happening and to support those who receive it. I am aware that it is unlikely that I will convince those who have acted like this towards me to change their ways – and they may even try to use this message against me – but it is fair to speak out against this type of behavior and not remain silent.
To all the fans and people who supported me during this whole situation, I want to say thank you. I have seen and read many of your messages and appreciate them very much. It’s nice to know that I have so many people who support me.
Sport is by nature competitive, but it should bring people together, not tear them apart. If sharing my thoughts and highlighting the need for action helps just one person, then it was worth it.
Looking into the new year, I hope that my experience after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will help reinforce that message, and my New Year’s resolution is to look for ways to support that process. Be nice to everyone!
