Formula 2 driver Richard Verschoor has revealed he received a shocking knife threat online after an on-track incident with a Red Bull junior driver.
“In terms of hate: this year I had someone say they were going to chase me with a knife. I didn’t really enjoy reading that,” Verschoor told Ziggo Sport.
“A machete or something, he said, but anyway.”
The disturbing threat came after a racing incident with Red Bull driver Arvid Lindblad in Formula 2.
“I tapped him out, but, well, you also know that it (the threat) isn’t going to happen, you hope,” Verschoor explained.
The 23-year-old Dutch driver currently sits fourth in the Formula 2 championship standings with 151 points. He’s just 37 points behind championship leader Leonardo Fornaroli with two race weekends remaining in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Lindblad, the Red Bull driver involved in the incident, is seventh in the standings with 109 points.
## Mental Health in Racing
Verschoor brought up the threat while discussing the mental resilience drivers need in motorsport.
He specifically mentioned his admiration for F1 star Lando Norris, who’s been open about his mental health challenges throughout his career.
“Ultimately it’s about what works for you, and that’s what I really like about Lando,” Verschoor said. “It shows that it works for him. He talks to someone, apparently it helps. Who can blame him?”
Norris has recently faced his own challenges, being booed on the podium after both the Mexico and Brazil Grand Prix events.
The McLaren driver has been candid about how he’s learned to handle criticism and maintain mental strength under pressure – something that clearly resonates with Verschoor amid his own experiences with online abuse.
With the F2 season heading into its final rounds, Verschoor still has a mathematical chance at the title despite facing these off-track challenges.
