Kelly Piquet and Max Verstappen have taken to Instagram to address the torrent of ‘lies’ and ‘hate’ they’ve been subjected to by online trolls. The couple is urging these detractors to reconsider the real-life consequences of their harmful actions.
Piquet, who has been dating Verstappen since 2021 and is a regular fixture at Grand Prix weekends, has recently found herself targeted by social media trolls. These detractors have gone to great lengths, including spreading fake news and even creating ‘photoshopped screenshots’, to attack her character.
In her heartfelt Instagram post, Piquet wrote, ‘A note from me and a gentle reminder to all… The online world can be a wonderful place for various reasons, but a very scary one when wrong information and lies are thrown around. I am unsure of the appropriate approach to address hate stemming from falsehoods. I have considered composing a response and letting it stand. For over 3 years I’ve been navigating a very strange and upsetting wave of accusations, rumours, fabricated situations, fake testimonials, photoshopped screenshots… you name it. All the while staying silent and not playing into these ridiculous claims.’
Piquet stressed the impact these false accusations have had, not just on her, but on her loved ones. ‘Accusations made in the past months especially have taken on 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 way. I am far from perfect, but I do take pride in my values, morals and manner. Let that be clear. As a human being, the comments and hate affect me and the people around me deeply. I hope this serves as a reminder for people to verify online content before making threats. I hope those of you who have contributed to this take a moment to reflect on the real-life consequences of spreading lies and engaging in hate. 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 others.’
Verstappen also commented on her post, showing his solidarity: ‘This has to stop. These false accusations by certain individuals on Instagram and TikTok are insane and ridiculous at the same time. Hate has no place in this world. We know what’s true within our family and we are very happy together. I love you.’
The couple’s appeal serves as a stark reminder of the damaging effects of online hate and misinformation. Piquet and Verstappen are hopeful that their call for more responsible online behavior will resonate and bring about positive change.
Source: Planetf1
