Matt Bishop, a former member of Lewis Hamilton’s team during his McLaren days, recently quit social media upon receiving relentless homophobic abuse on various platforms. Bishop was McLaren’s communications director and then Aston Martin’s chief communications officer until his retirement at the end of this year.
Bishop is openly gay and has been a forthright speaker on LGBTQ+ issues for many years. He is also a founder ambassador of Racing Pride, a movement launched in June 2019 to promote LGBTQ+ inclusivity in the motorsport industry.
He is a veteran of the sport and has been part of the F1 paddock since 2008, having worked alongside Lewis Hamilton during his McLaren years.
I worked with Lewis Hamilton very closely for 5 years when he & I were at McLaren. He’s an absolutely brilliant #F1 driver & a truly great man. He does a huge amount for diversity & inclusivity. By contrast Nelson Piquet Sr disgusts me. #WeRaceAsOne. That’s it. That’s the tweet.
In a post a few weeks ago, the former Lewis Hamilton team member shared distress and disappointment over the incessant abuse he would receive on social media and announced he would be taking some time away from it.
Tweet 1:
“I’ve always loved Twitter, & many #F1 fans have been kind enough to tell me that they enjoy my #OnThisDay posts, my hire car review videos etc. But sadly it’s become an increasingly vile cesspit of random unprovoked hate speech lately, as the New York Times reports today.” I’ve always loved Twitter, & many #F1 fans have been kind enough to tell me that they enjoy my #OnThisDay posts, my hire car review videos etc. But sadly it’s become an increasingly vile cesspit of random unprovoked hate speech lately, as the New York Times reports today. (1/2)
Tweet 2:
“As an out gay man in a sport – #F1 – in which we’re very rare, I’ve been deluged with relentless personal abuse lately. One tries to rise above it – report, block, move on – but, ultimately, however robust one’s mental constitution, it inevitably erodes one’s joie de vivre.” As an out gay man in a sport – #F1 – in which we’re very rare, I’ve been deluged with relentless personal abuse lately. One tries to rise above it – report, block, move on – but, ultimately, however robust one’s mental constitution, it inevitably erodes one’s joie de vivre. (2/3)As an out gay man in a sport – #F1 – in which we’re very rare, I’ve been deluged with relentless personal abuse lately. One tries to rise above it – report, block, move on – but, ultimately, however robust one’s mental constitution, it inevitably erodes one’s joie de vivre. (2/3) https://t.co/9YLJxv10iu
Tweet 3:
“So I’m taking a break. I’ll return if I can exist here without being endlessly insulted – often, as here, in replies wholly unrelated to my tweets. I’ll dip my toe back in the Twitter water next week. If it’s still as putrid as it is now, I’ll give up. Au revoir for now.”
So I’m taking a break. I’ll return if I can exist here without being endlessly insulted – often, as here, in replies wholly unrelated to my tweets. I’ll dip my toe back in the Twitter water next week. If it’s still as putrid as it is now, I’ll give up. Au revoir for now. (3/3)
So I’m taking a break. I’ll return if I can exist here without being endlessly insulted – often, as here, in replies wholly unrelated to my tweets. I’ll dip my toe back in the Twitter water next week. If it’s still as putrid as it is now, I’ll give up. Au revoir for now. (3/3) https://t.co/8nSUViLV9A
Former Lewis Hamilton team member decides against social media return
In a recent development, Mirror Sport’s F1 reporter Daniel Moxon announced on Twitter that former Lewis Hamilton team member Matt Bishop has decided against returning to the platform citing the excessive toxicity that one has to deal with. Moxon tweeted:
“Spoke with the lovely @TheBishF1 on the red carpet tonight, and I’m sad to say he told me he has deleted his Twitter app and doesn’t plan on coming back, over the relentless torrent of homophobic abuse he receives on a daily basis. Such a shame he has been forced to do that. #F1. For sure, #F1 Twitter will be a much poorer place without his On This Day content, his Anorak Facts and his general warm and engaging presence.” “From a selfish perspective, I hope he changes his mind and comes back, because I always enjoy his tweets. But Matt’s mental health is far more important and if he needs to stay away from Twitter to protect that, then that’s what’s best. It’s a damning indictment on our society.” Spoke with the lovely @TheBishF1 on the red carpet tonight, and I’m sad to say he told me he has deleted his Twitter app and doesn’t plan on coming back, over the relentless torrent of homophobic abuse he receives on a daily basis . Such a shame he has been forced to do that. #F1Spoke with the lovely @TheBishF1 on the red carpet tonight, and I’m sad to say he told me he has deleted his Twitter app and doesn’t plan on coming back, over the relentless torrent of homophobic abuse he receives on a daily Base. Such a shame he has been forced to do that. #F1
From a selfish perspective I hope he changes his mind and comes back, because I always enjoy his tweets. But Matt’s mental health is far more important and if he needs to stay away from Twitter to protect that, then that’s what’s best. It’s a damning indictment on our society.
From a selfish perspective I hope he changes his mind and comes back, because I always enjoy his tweets. But Matt’s mental health is far more important and if he needs to stay away from Twitter to protect that, then that’s what’s best. It’s a damning indictment on our society.
This once again brings into the spotlight a statement Lewis Hamilton had made earlier in the season. After an old video emerged of Nelson Piquet using racial slurs, the Mercedes driver stated that now there was no time for words; action was paramount! Now, F1 must take note of the rampant homophobia in the sport and act against it.
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