Sky F1 presenter Rachel Brookes has announced that she has disabled comments on her social media platforms after receiving “enormous amounts of vile abuse.”

It comes after tetchy interviews with Max Verstappen, the Red Bull driver and reigning four-time World Champion, and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton over recent weeks.

Sky F1 presenter Rachel Brookes disables comments over ‘vile abuse’

Brookes has been a member of the Sky F1 team since the 2012 season, often interviewing drivers in the TV pen in the paddock after qualifying and the race, as well as fulfilling presenting and commentary roles.

The presenter was involved in a tense interview with Verstappen in the aftermath of the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this month, when the Red Bull driver was involved in an ugly collision with George Russell’s Mercedes in the closing laps.

Verstappen, who was given a 10-second penalty and three penalty points for the incident with Russell, appeared to take issue with Brookes’ line of questioning during the interview.

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Put to him at one stage that his conduct in wheel-to-wheel battle could “take some shine” off his other abilities, Verstappen told Brookes: “Well, that’s your opinion.”

Brookes’ exchange with Verstappen came seven days after Hamilton was noticeably unforthcoming in a Sky F1 interview after a challenging race in Monaco.

It later emerged that Hamilton had apologised to Brookes off camera following the interview, admitting that he was “just so down” after the race.

Writing on social media over the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, Brookes revealed that she has turned off comments on both Instagram and X (Twitter) after receiving a barrage of abuse over recent weeks.

She said: “I will be posting on here as usual but comments/tags/mentions on here and on X have been disabled for the foreseeable future due to the enormous amounts of vile abuse I was sent after the Spanish GP.

“I may switch them back on at a later date but for now they will stay off.”

Brookes’ step back comes after Lee McKenzie, the long-serving F1 reporter, lifted the lid on the “horrific” and “vile” comments she received after returning to air following a recent operation at the Spanish Grand Prix.

She wrote on social media: “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.”

Damon Hill, the 1996 World Champion and former Sky F1 pundit, was among those to leap to McKenzie’s defence.

Hill, who now works for BBC Radio 5 Live, wrote in a social media post: “Read Lee’s post.

“To those who posted abusive messages, go and get some help.

“You are mentally unwell.”

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