Sky F1 presenter Natalie Pinkham has been left “angry” and saddened by the online trolling of Channel 4 Formula 1 reporter Lee McKenzie.

And she has revealed that Flackstock, the music festival co-founded by Pinkham to promote improved awareness of mental health issues, is to partner with F1’s governing body the FIA.

Sky F1 presenter Natalie Pinkham ‘angered’ by Lee McKenzie trolling

McKenzie recently lifted the lid on the “horrific” and “vile comments” she has received about her appearance since returning to air following a recent operation.

The 47-year-old, a familiar face of free-to-air coverage of F1 in the United Kingdom for more than 15 years through her roles with the BBC and Channel 4, revealed that she underwent a procedure last month having “been struggling with some health issues for a while now.”

McKenzie confirmed that her health is “improving” having been boosted by the news that “a larger operation I thought I was going to get isn’t needed at the moment.”

Go deeper: The best of F1 broadcasting

👉 Ranking the best pundits in F1: Brundle, Rosberg, Hill and more all rated

👉 F1 Grid Walk of Shame: Machine Gun Kelly latest addition to celebrity sh*tlist

In a statement on social media, Pinkham, who previously worked with McKenzie at the BBC before joining Sky F1 at the start of 2012, revealed that she has been left “angry” by the abuse of her fellow presenter.

And she revealed that her Flackstock initiative – an annual music festival held in memory of the late television presenter Caroline Flack, who died by suicide in February 2020 – is to partner with the FIA’s United Against Online Abuse campaign.

Pinkham wrote: “Online abuse needs to be regularly and rigorously called out.

“Our friend Caroline Flack paid the ultimate price, taking her own life after the most abhorrent and relentless online hate.

“As her friends, we vowed to stand up to the trolls.

“Today I learnt that my mate Lee McKenzie has been subjected to it, which makes me angry, sad, but most of all more determined than ever.

“At Flackstock we are partnering with the FIA through their United Against Online Abuse campaign to counter online abuse with a research project, development of a safeguarding app and mental health support to those in need.

“More on all of that soon.”

The trolling of McKenzie follows a series of high-profile cases of online abuse of F1 drivers over recent weeks.

Yuki Tsunoda, the Red Bull driver, found himself abused online – with some of the content racist in nature – after an incident with Franco Colapinto at last month’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Meanwhile, Colapinto’s Alpine predecessor Jack Doohan was forced to call for people to “stop harassing my family” after losing his seat to the Argentine driver.

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.

Read next: New George Russell option emerges as Aston Martin ‘express interest’ – report