Ex-F1 driver reveals ‘death threats’ after Alonso call

JOHNNY HERBERT has detailed the “torrent of death threats” he has received on social media in the wake of Fernando Alonso’s penalty at the Australian Grand Prix last month.

Alonso was given a 20-second time penalty after the race in Melbourne for his role in George Russell’s crash on the penultimate lap.

Former F1 driver and ex-Sky F1 pundit Herbert was part of the stewarding panel at Albert Park and has now revealed the abuse received online, as well as explaining a previous run-in with two-time world champion Alonso.

“I was a steward at the Melbourne GP and the repercussions were awful,” he said. “I got a torrent of death threats via social media, I am lucky I have got broad shoulders. I find it pathetic that I was the one thrown under the bus.

“It goes back to Bahrain two years ago. Some years before when he was with McLaren, Alonso had been on the radio slagging off the engine almost every race saying it was like a GP2 engine.

“He was really vocal. I was working for Sky and said if Alonso didn’t like it, he should leave the team. I didn’t say retire.

“Then he came up to me live on air in Bahrain and had a dig at me saying he was a world champion and would not retire and become a commentator because you were not a world champion. The fans then used that as a weapon against me after Australia.

“There were messages with dagger emojis at the bottom of the screen; people saying we know where you live, we will come for you. Most of them were Spanish.

“People were also saying because I had never been a world champion I was not qualified to have a say in it.,” the 59-year-old said. “It’s all part and parcel of it unfortunately… I accept it. It is not an issue.” – The Independent