Lee McKenzie, the respected F1 television presenter, has lifted the lid on the “horrific” and “vile” comments she received about her appearance at last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.

It comes after the Scot recently underwent an operation, with McKenzie’s health “improving” since a procedure last month.

F1 presenter Lee McKenzie angered by ‘vile’ comments after recent operation

McKenzie has been a familiar face of F1 broadcasting in the United Kingdom, serving as a pit-lane reporter for the BBC’s coverage of Formula 1 between 2009 and 2015 before adopting a similar role with Channel 4 from 2016.

The 47-year-old has also covered some of the biggest sporting events in the world, including the Olympic Games and the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

McKenzie has revealed that she had an operation last month having struggled with “some health issues for a while now.”

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The presenter was subjected to a series of “horrific” comments about her “appearance and weight” upon her return to the screen in Barcelona last weekend.

McKenzie posted an image to social media of herself smiling and giving a thumbs up in a hospital bed while recovering from her operation.

And in the accompanying caption, she has urged people online to “think before you write to someone” having been left “furious” that she has been affected by the comments on her appearance.

McKenzie said: “I’ve been thinking about whether I should post this but I will as it’s not just about me, it’s for all women and men too.

“Last month I went into hospital for an operation and I’ve been struggling with some health issues for a while now.

“As you see on here I’m a private person and I post about my work, not too much about life outside of work. I don’t need or want attention or validation.

“But the comments about my appearance and weight at the Spanish Grand Prix have been horrific.

“I’ve had to turn off comments on my social media. It’s worth saying they came from women and men alike.

“If you don’t like what someone wears or looks like on television, feel free to think about it but why send it to them?

“Why contact someone to be deliberately rude?

“I’m a journalist and I’m good at my job and I’m furious that this affects me.

“But it does and there will be people out there getting similar abuse that are not as strong as me. Don’t do it.

“The good news is that a larger operation that I thought I was going to get isn’t needed at the moment and things can be treated with medication.

“Many people have this. It’s not about being unwell. It’s about the vile comments from women and men commenting on my appearance.

“My health is improving and I’m back at the gym. For me. Not for anyone else. Think before you write to someone.”

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the sitting FIA president, has been a passionate campaigner against abuse online, with the governing body launching its United Against Online Abuse campaign in 2022.

On Thursday, F1 and its immediate feeder categories, Formula 2 and Formula 3, issued a joint statement along with the FIA following a rise in cases of online abuse over recent weeks.

Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda found himself abused online after an incident with Franco Colapinto at last month’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, with Colapinto’s Alpine predecessor Jack Doohan also calling for people to “stop harassing my family.”

More recently, rising F1 star and McLaren junior Alex Dunne was criticised after triggering a pile up at the start of a race in Monaco.

The joint statement released by the FIA, F1, F2 and F3 read: “On behalf of our Teams and Drivers, F1, F1, F3 and the FIA, through their United Against Online Abuse campaign, firmly condemn abuse and harassment of any form.

“We’ll continue to collectively act upon and report abuse to social media platforms.

“Whether you are a fan or a part of the motorsport world, we are all driven by passion.

“At the heart of it all, there are humans.

“We urge everyone to remain respectful towards the athletes and their teams.”

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