F1 Today | Why Verstappen deserved a penalty, Sky reporter takes action after heated Verstappen interview

After the Canadian Grand Prix, Red Bull Racing lodged two protests against race winner George Russell, both of which were dismissed by the stewards after a 45-minute review session. The first protest accused Russell of dangerous and unsporting behavior by braking hard under the safety car to allegedly trigger a penalty for Max Verstappen, who briefly overtook the Mercedes. Red Bull presented footage showing Russell checking his mirrors before braking and highlighted radio communications from Mercedes urging action. However, the stewards ruled that Russell’s actions, intended to maintain safe distance and temperature, were legitimate, supported by braking data and standard protocol.

The second protest focused on Russell allegedly creating excessive gaps to the safety car multiple times, which Red Bull argued was against regulations. Yet the stewards found the gaps acceptable for tyre and brake management, stating that such behavior is common. Ultimately, both protests were dismissed, confirming George Russell’s victory in Canada. While Verstappen could technically have received a penalty for the brief overtake, the incident was deemed accidental and harmless, justice, as many saw it, was rightly served.

Sky Sports journalist Rachel Brookes faced a barrage of online abuse following her post-race interview with Max Verstappen after the Spanish Grand Prix. The backlash stemmed from her comment suggesting something had "taken the shine off" Verstappen as a driver, in light of his collision with George Russell and refusal to take responsibility. The criticism escalated quickly, prompting Brookes to disable comments and mentions on her social media accounts to shield herself from what she described as 'disgusting insults.'

Despite the negativity, Brookes claimed she would continue posting on platforms like Instagram and X, although theywill remain turned off for now. The situation has drawn attention to the growing issue of online abuse targeting journalists in Formula 1, especially when covering controversial figures or incidents. Brookes is as of yet focused on her work and described the upcoming race weekend as a welcome distraction from the online vitriol.