F1 drivers condemn abuse towards Mercedes rookie as trolls branded 'sad people' and 'scum of the earth'

Bearman told journalists: "I think generally it's always the case that people behind the screen are horrible and they're scum of the earth, really.

"I don't think they should be doing that type of stuff to someone."

The 20-year-old dismissed the wave of criticism directed at the Italian as "an absolute joke" that "shouldn't be tolerated."

The abuse stemmed from a late-race incident at the Lusail International Circuit, where the 19-year-old Italian made a mistake on the penultimate lap whilst defending fifth place against championship contender Lando Norris.

Mercedes subsequently identified more than 1,100 "severe or suspect comments" across Antonelli's social media accounts, including death threats from fans who believed he had deliberately allowed the McLaren driver through.

Red Bull's race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, had declared over team radio that Antonelli "just pulled over and let Lando through," whilst advisor Helmut Marko suggested the move was intentional.

The Milton Keynes outfit issued a statement on Monday acknowledging their comments were "clearly incorrect" and expressing sincere regret for the abuse Antonelli subsequently received.

Lambiase also spoke directly to the Mercedes driver before this weekend's race.

Bearman acknowledged that his position at Haas has shielded him from comparable scrutiny, noting the advantages of beginning a career away from the spotlight.

He explained: "I didn't face that level of criticism, but that comes as part of being in a team like Haas rather than Mercedes. You're a bit less in the limelight. You have the possibility to make mistakes and be less criticised for those."

The British driver emphasised that while experienced competitors may grow accustomed to such treatment, rookies encountering hostility for the first time deserve protection.

Bearman added: "We're putting our lives on the line to entertain people and to give the people who are passionate for the sport a good time. And you have people like that who are just hurting people and that's not just racing, that's also their personal life."

Several fellow drivers rallied behind Antonelli in the aftermath of the incident.

George Russell, who heads the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, described the abuse as "unacceptable" and urged those responsible to "take a hard look at themselves in the mirror."

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc echoed the sentiment, lamenting that online abusers "face no consequence for their words and for their disrespect towards drivers."

Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar was more blunt, calling the perpetrators "idiots."

Antonelli himself revealed that world champion Max Verstappen had messaged him directly, describing the online abusers as "brainless."

The Italian admitted the experience had been deeply unsettling, adding that such messages were "difficult to see."

He said: "A lot of insults, even some death threats. At the end of the day, it was very tough."

Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter