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Jos Verstappen has firmly shut down speculation claiming he is battling a serious illness. The father of Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen took to Instagram to set the record straight after misleading reports circulated online suggesting the former Grand Prix driver was in poor health.
The rumours were triggered by his TV appearance on Viaplay over the weekend. Malicious users took a still frame from the broadcast and manipulated it using artificial intelligence to give him a frail and sickly appearance. The doctored image quickly went viral across social media platforms, with several news outlets even picking it up and publishing it as genuine.
Although the alteration was evident to anyone who had seen the original video, Verstappen Sr. opted to personally put an end to the conjecture. "I feel great. I'm not sick, my hair was just out of shape," he jokingly wrote in his post.
At this stage, it remains unclear whether the Dutchman will seek accountability or pursue legal action against the creators of the altered screenshot or the media outlets that spread the fake reports regarding his condition.
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