While motorsports’ biggest spectacle, Formula 1, returns to the USA for the Miami Grand Prix, former NASCAR sensation Danica Patrick is back on the broadcast team alongside Jenson Button, Martin Brundle, and Simon Lazenby.
Patrick returned to the F1 broadcast after missing the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. However, her comeback was met with criticism, as fans called her out for controversial and seemingly off-set comments about McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Danica Patrick Gets the Heat From Fans Following Her Baseless Comment on Norris
Former Stewart-Haas Racing sensation, Danica Patrick, once again re-joined the Sky Sports broadcasting team for Formula 1’s South Florida spectacle – the Miami GP.
Following the race, Patrick was among the panel that analyzed the race. The veteran racer reflecting on McLaren’s Lando Norris’ comments said, “I sense a bit of confidence out of him, there wasn’t a lot of negative talk, he was just like ‘It is what it is’ but also he knows that it’s not all there, it’s not perfect, the car is not perfect, that things are not perfect but still he has first three seconds, a third and a fourth…”
The 43-year-old suggested that Norris was fighting an uphill battle when, in reality, he was in arguably the most dominant car on the grid. This didn’t quite sit well with the fanbase. Soon after, social media lit up with backlash against the former racer, bashing her mercilessly for different reasons, starting from her attire to what they perceived as her lack of understanding about F1.
One such urged Sky Sports to oust her from the broadcasting team. He wrote, “Danica Patrick, “he knows it’s not all there, it’s not perfect, the cars not perfect.” Talking about LANDO NORRIS in one of the most dominant cars, please get rid of her, I beg.”
Another ardent fan noted down his displeasure pretty explicitly – “The consistently fucking abhorrent Danica Patrick on Sky F1 coverage again, how about using someone that’s actually good? #MiamiGP #F1.”
Meanwhile, others trolled her for her alleged obnoxious choice of clothing: “Danica Patrick looks like she’s just wrapped a towel around herself after a shower and headed to the track.” Another user didn’t quite understand the logical reasoning behind having Patrick in the broadcast team, he wrote, “Why is Danica Patrick at the #F1 race??? Every race in the US they bring her on. Why??? Adds nothing. #MiamiGP.”
A random fan even started a drinking game, trashing the former driver for her comment, adding a hilarious GIF to his tweet. It read, “Turning this into a drinking game. Drink anytime someone looks unimpressed listening to Danica Patrick speak. I’ll be pissed by lights out.”
Whereas another netizen used Button and his fellow co-presenter to good use to trash Patrick with a rather simple comment – “When Danica starts a monologue.”