Max Verstappen Reveals His Family Was Threatened After Red Bull Controversy: 'Disgusting'

F1 world champion Max Verstappen has revealed that his family has been dragged into the Red Bull team orders controversy and some response has been "unacceptable" and "disgusting".

Verstappen refused to take Red Bull's orders during the Brazilian Grand Prix last weekend to let his teammate Sergio Perez through on the final lap to gain points in his fight for second in the championship.

With one race to go in the 2022 season, Perez is currently third in the drivers' standings with 290 points, the same as second-placed Charles Leclerc, who has one race victory more than the Mexican driver.

"After the race, I looked very bad in the media. But they didn't have a clear picture. To immediately put me down like that is pretty ridiculous. All the things I have read are pretty disgusting," Verstappen reportedly said.

"They started attacking my family, they were threatening my sister, my mum, my girlfriend, and my dad. And for me, that goes way too far when you don't even have the facts of what is going on. And that definitely has to stop. If you have a problem with me, that's fine, but don't go after my family because that is unacceptable," the two-time champion added.

While Verstappen initially seemed like he was discussing responses to the incident on social media, he then also said he had a problem with some of the media reports after the race.

"A lot of people what they have been writing about me is ridiculous. At the end of the day, you contribute to all the problems social media has by writing these kinds of things. It is just incredibly disappointing to read these kinds of things. I know how I am and the team knows how I work and I have always been good to the team," Verstappen said.

The Red Bull racer added that media always highlights anything negative that takes place and it is "pretty sickening being part of that."

"At the end of the day I haven't done anything wrong; it's just people misunderstood what has been going on," Verstappen added.

The 25-year-old became the second-youngest driver to win two championships after he sealed the title earlier this year. Sebastian Vettel, who is gearing up for his final race ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2022, holds the record of being the youngest two-time F1 champion. The German driver was nine months younger when he secured his second title during his stint with Red Bull.

Verstappen clinched the F1 2022 title after winning in Japan as the race victory put up 113 points clear at the top with four races remaining in the season.