The Red Bull team Voices Remorse Regarding Comments Following Death Threats Targeting Driver Kimi Antonelli
The Red Bull Formula 1 team has issued a statement stating its deep remorse for post-race remarks that preceded widespread online abuse, including death threats, directed at young talent Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli was said to have switched his social media picture to a solid black image on Monday, a response to the abusive comments that flooded his accounts. His team confirmed that several of these communications constituted threats against the driver's life.
The situation originated with team radio during the closing stages of the Qatar Grand Prix. Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase suggested over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to let McLaren's Lando Norris through.
This incident proved crucial for the title fight, as the overtake earned him extra points. This increased the McLaren driver's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
In its statement, Red Bull clarified: "Observations voiced suggesting that Kimi Antonelli had intentionally let Lando Norris past are factually wrong. Replay footage demonstrates Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thereby enabling Norris to get by. We deeply regret that this has resulted in Kimi receiving such abuse."
The team's announcement did not include a formal apology for the original claim. However, reports indicate that Lambiase subsequently said sorry to Toto Wolff after being shown footage of the incident.
"This is complete and utter rubbish. That astounds me even to hear that," stated Wolff. "We are battling for second place in the constructors' championship... How foolish can you be to even say something like this?"
Wolff added that he had spoken with Lambiase, who stated he had not seen the moment when he made the comment. Mercedes reported a "1,100% increase" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli after the Grand Prix.
For his part, Antonelli described the moment as a simple mistake. He said he was driving aggressively to close on Carlos Sainz and experienced a "big snap" that caused him to run wide and surrender fourth place.
"It was really hard with the turbulence and the high tyre temperatures," the driver stated. "It's disappointing to lose the place because it would have been two more points."
Key Points from the Situation
- Red Bull has voiced remorse for radio remarks made by a team member.
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli received severe online abuse in the wake of those comments.
- The disputed comment centered on an on-track pass that impacted the title battle.
- Video replays confirm Antonelli lost control, contradicting the implication of deliberate action.
- The individual in question has apologised to Mercedes team leadership.
