Adele has become the latest celebrity to face intense online scrutiny after making a rare public appearance at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Sunday, July 5.
The 38-year-old Grammy-winning singer stepped out in her home country for one of her first public appearances in months, marking a return to the UK spotlight nearly two years after announcing her hiatus from the music industry.
Highlights
- Adele's appearance at the British Grand Prix quickly sparked ageist remarks, with some claiming she looked "almost unrecognizable."
- The singer attended the event to bond with her teenage son, but the outing instead ignited a heated online debate about her appearance.
- As critics scrutinized her looks, many pointed to Adele's long-standing criticism of the public's obsession with her body.
However, instead of celebrating her return, many social media users focused on her appearance, even triggering a wave of ageist criticism online.
One critic brutally wrote, “She suddenly aged 20 years. As often happens with a strict diet.”
Adele's latest public appearance at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix over the weekend sparked brutal criticism online
Image credits: adele
Just days after officially declaring herself a huge Formula 1 fan, Adele made a rare, casual public appearance at the Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire, England.
She attended alongside fellow celebrity spectators to support British McLaren driver Lando Norris.
The Hello singer stepped out in a casual look, sporting a custom McLaren T-shirt in tribute to Norris, paired with oversized sunglasses and a delicate necklace reading "Mummy."
Image credits: Kym Illman/Getty Images
Image credits: Princxercize
Notably, Adele's 13-year-old son, Angelo, accompanied her to the event, which she reportedly planned as a mother-son outing because he is a passionate motorsport and karting enthusiast.
The singer's rare public appearance after months away from the spotlight prompted many online commenters to label her "almost unrecognizable" in her oversized streetwear.
The Grammy winner stepped back into the public eye after eight months, with her last public appearance taking place in October last year
Image credits: David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images
Image credits: THECOUNTnews
Image credits: bourdainstalker
Many netizens even speculated about cosmetic enhancements, while others failed to recognize her altogether.
One netizen wrote, “Is Avril Lavigne you?” while another user added, “O**mpic + Botox.”
A third commenter wrote, “Kinda giving us Melania Tea.”
Image credits: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images / Kym Illman/Getty Images
Image credits: brentschmidt
Others came to Adele's defense, with one person writing, “Adele is aging with dignity; she hasn't filled her face with Botox and has kept her wrinkles and facial expressions.”
Supporters pointed out that Adele is currently on a self-imposed extended hiatus from the music industry to focus on her family and enjoy a more private life away from the spotlight.
One person firmly wrote, “There is always the group of insecure and miserable men who think they have a right to comment on women's age or body… insane.”
Many others echoed the sentiment, arguing that Adele should be able to enjoy a public outing with her son without having her appearance, age, weight, or clothing scrutinized by strangers online.
Viewers online failed to recognize Adele, with some comparing her to celebrities including Billie Eilish, Jennifer Lopez, and others
In recent years, Adele also famously lost approximately 100 pounds (45 kg) over a two-year period, unveiling her dramatic physical transformation in May 2020.
Time and again, the Rolling in the Deep singer has emphasized that she was body-positive before her weight loss and remains so today, refusing to let negative commentary define her.
She has also spoken candidly about how her body has been objectified by the public and the media throughout her career, regardless of her size.
Image credits: adele
Speaking to British Vogue, Adele said, “My body’s been objectified my entire career. It’s not just now. I understand why it’s a shock. I understand why some women, especially, were hurt. Visually, I represented a lot of women. But I’m still the same person.”
As for her appearance at the British Grand Prix, Adele revealed during a pre-race interview with McLaren CEO Zak Brown that she attended the event primarily to spend quality time with her son, Angelo.
Discussing his passion for motorsport, she told Brown, “I don't know many teenagers now who have an actual passion. So, I'm really trying to encourage it.”
“But I'm also obsessed. But when your kid has an interest, you have to lean into it. More importantly, I think you have to be interested in it.”
The 38-year-old has been candid about the criticism she has received from the public, particularly since her significant weight loss
Image credits: adele
Adele added, “And I don't think I ever expected to bond with my soon-to-be 14-year-old son about something so passionately where we argue about drivers, you know? But it's fun to have that interaction with a teenage boy in 2026. I wasn't expecting it.”
She also revealed that she regularly hosts friends at her Los Angeles home at 6:00 a.m. to watch Formula 1 races live.
However, her passion for the sport extends beyond watching from home. Adele has made several appearances at Formula 1 events, including a visit to the Mercedes-AMG Petronas pit garage during the 2025 United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.
She made a high-profile appearance at the Circuit of the Americas in October 2025, marking one of her first public outings after stepping away from her music residency in 2024.
During the event, she was photographed chatting with and posing for pictures alongside Mercedes drivers George Russell and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
“If you made me guess who this was for a million dollars I wouldn't have guessed correctly,” wrote one netizen
Image credits: projoe93525
Image credits: AdolfGreenn
Image credits: JennaNichoel
Image credits: Gazerr67
Image credits: araqie9
Image credits: IronmanBelfast
Image credits: Sweet_Maryama
Image credits: drew25694
Image credits: nhnonna
Image credits: Sarah6MJ