F1 News: Max Verstappen’s heartwarming message to Kelly Piquet in the fight against online abuse

Reigning Formula One world champion Max Verstappen recently came forward to defend his girlfriend, model and columnist Kelly Piquet, against a relentless stream of online abuse and false allegations. Piquet, who has been dealing with this worrying trend for more than three years, shared a poignant message on Instagram detailing the severity of the harassment, which has gotten significantly worse in recent months.

Piquet described the digital sphere as full of misinformation and deception, which deeply impacted her on a personal level. She posted on Instagram:

“A word from me and a gentle reminder to everyone… The online world can be a wonderful place for a variety of reasons, but very scary when misinformation and lies are spread.”

“For more than three years, I have been navigating a very strange and upsetting wave of accusations, rumors, fabricated situations, false testimonies, photoshopped screenshots… you name it. All while keeping the silence and not playing on these ridiculous assertions.

“The accusations made in recent months in particular have reached another level of defamation. Those who know me know that I would never put myself in such positions, say certain things or act in such a manner. I am far from to be perfect, but I do I am proud of my values, my morals and my manners.

“As a human being, comments and hate deeply affect me and the people around me. I hope this reminds people to check content online before making threats.”

Echoing the sentiments of behavior change, Piquet shared a quote from James Clear:

“Remember, as James Clear says, ‘every action we take is a vote for who we want to be.’ Let’s choose to be better humans to ourselves and to others.”

Expressing his exasperation, three-time champion Verstappen condemned the actions of those spreading hatred online towards his family. He commented in support:

“This needs to stop. These false accusations from some individuals on Instagram and TikTok are both senseless and ridiculous. Hate has no place in this world. We know what is true within our family and we are very happy together. I love you.

The couple’s struggle highlights a larger issue facing many public figures: the impact of online toxicity and the importance of digital kindness and accuracy. Verstappen’s vocal support for Piquet not only highlights their personal challenges, but also calls for a collective reassessment of online behavior, calling for more thoughtful and verified interaction in the digital age.