Max Verstappen thinks "keyboard warriors" get too much attention in formula one.
The Dutchman ended 2018 as one of the strongest drivers overall, but early on he faced a barrage of criticism for a series of mistakes.
"I have absolutely become more mature," Verstappen told De Telegraaf newspaper, "but over the years that’s just logical.
"Yes it didn’t work out at the beginning of 2018, and I learned from that. Suddenly everyone was against me. But I will keep the same approach that I have now."
The Red Bull driver thinks the critics are given too much oxygen in formula one.
"Things are often said and written that I do not agree with," said Verstappen.
"It has nothing to do with people empathising with drivers because they’ve never experienced it themselves. If you drive on the limit, you sometimes make mistakes.
"I can also give my opinion about football, but in the end I don’t know anything about it — even if sometimes when I’m sitting in front of the television I think I do," he added.
"But who cares what I think about football? The manager is not going to start thinking ’Max said this, so I’m going to change that’!
"Especially with social media it’s so easy to give an opinion about someone without knowing them at all. And usually they wouldn’t care to say the same thing to your face. Keyboard warriors, that’s what I call them," said Verstappen.