F1 Driver Nicholas Latifi Condemns 'Extreme' Online Hate Directed at Him After Abu Dhabi Crash

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Formula One driver Nicholas Latifi is responding to the death threats he says he received after crashing during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Dec. 12.

Latifi, 26, crashed during lap 52 of 58 during the event, bringing out a safety car, which ultimately altered the race, with Max Verstappen winning over favorite Lewis Hamilton, according to the BBC. Latifi revealed on Twitter Tuesday that he has been the subject of online hate and abuse since the crash.

In a lengthy statement posted to his Twitter account, Latifi said he tried to check out of social media because he had been anticipating "how things were likely to play out" after the crash.

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"Going back to the race weekend, as soon as the checkered flag dropped, I knew how things were likely to play out on social media. The fact that I felt it would be best if I deleted Instagram and Twitter on my phone for a few days says all we need to know about how cruel the online world can be," he wrote.

"The ensuing hate, abuse, and threats on social media were not really a surprise to me as it's just the stark reality of the world we live in right now," Latifi continued. "I'm no stranger to being talked about negatively online, I think every sports person who competes on the world stage knows they're under extreme scrutiny and this comes with the territory sometimes."

He added, "But as we've seen time and time again, across all different sports, it only takes one incident at the wrong time to have things completely blown out of proportion and bring out the worst in people who are so-called 'fans' of the sport. What shocked me was the extreme tone of the hate, abuse, and even the death threats I received."

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Latifi said he apologized to his team — the "one group of people" he felt he owed an apology to — after the race.

"Thankfully, I'm comfortable enough in my own skin, and I've been in this world long enough that I can do a pretty good job of just letting any negativity wash over me," he wrote. "But I know I'm not alone in thinking that a negative comment always seems to stick out more — and can sometimes be enough to drown out 100 positive ones."

His statement comes after Verstappen spoke up to defend Latifi, CNN reports.

"I think [receiving abuse is] just very unfair. Every driver tries to do their best," Verstappen said following the race in Abu Dhabi, per The Evening Standard.

He added, "I think nobody crashes on purpose or does that. I think what's important for him then is just to turn off your phone and don't listen to it."