Conor Daly knows how intense motorsports discussions can get online, since he has spent plenty of time on social media. However, the former Juncos Hollinger Racing driver believes no other fanbase can exceed the toxicity of F1 fans on Twitter, which is now known as X.
Conor Daly Can’t Stand F1 Twitter
Speaking on the Business of Speed podcast, Daly called F1 Twitter the worst corner of the internet he’s ever seen.
“F1 Twitter is the worst,” Daly said. “You might as well be in a war zone. I love F1, but that is some of the most dangerous group of people I’ve seen on the internet I’ve ever seen and I have no idea how they could be that bad.”
Recent data suggests Formula 1 could experience increases in toxic fan interactions of up to 30% over the next three years, according to analysis from social intelligence firm Buzz Radar.
The company examined 100 million social media posts across 247,000 accounts over the past decade, identifying seven distinct categories of toxicity: discrimination, targeted harassment, general negativity, tribal hostility, reactive aggression, gatekeeping, and malicious narratives.
The 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finale remains the gold standard for online chaos, generating over 100,000 negative interactions. Three years later, just mentioning race director Michael Mas or that controversial safety car decision can still spark immediate backlash.
The problem isn’t just theoretical. Williams driver Nicholas Latifi received death threats after his crash at Abu Dhabi. McLaren’s Lando Norris has admitted to receiving similar threats. When Max Verstappen recently called for better systems to combat online abuse, he wasn’t making it up.
Sky Sports presenter Rachel Brookes found herself targeted after asking Max Verstappen a straightforward question about a penalty at the Spanish Grand Prix.
She asked whether the incident could overshadow his other abilities, a fair and non-malicious inquiry that many viewers might have considered reasonable. The response? A social media storm.
Yuki Tsunoda faced racially charged comments from some fans after an incident with Colapinto at Imola. Neither Franco nor any driver encourages this behavior, but a vocal minority takes it upon themselves to harass on their behalf.
Former F1 World Champion Damon Hill was forced to delete his social media profiles in 2024 after a dip in form. In his podcast appearance, Daly gave a shoutout to motorsport photographer Jamey Price as his favorite person on Twitter, specifically because Price pushes back against the F1 community’s worst impulses.
Price, an award-winning photographer who’s covered F1, IndyCar, and endurance racing across the globe, isn’t afraid to call out nonsense when he sees it. In a space dominated by tribal warfare and bad-faith arguments, his willingness to engage honestly stands out.
The FIA established the United Against Online Abuse campaign in 2023, working with sporting organizations and tech companies to chart and combat harassment. Teams employ digital staff to block inappropriate content.
But social media platforms themselves need to do more to stop the spread of abuse.
