Red Bull Expresses Regret Over Comments Following Death Threats Targeting Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli
The Red Bull Formula 1 team has issued a statement expressing its sincere regret for post-race remarks that preceded a torrent of social media vitriol, including death threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli was said to have switched his Instagram profile to a solid black image on Monday, a reaction to the abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. His team stated that a number of these messages included threats against the driver's life.
The controversy originated with team radio during the closing stages of the recent race. Max Verstappen's race engineer suggested over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "deliberately moved aside" to let rival driver Lando Norris to pass.
This incident proved crucial for the championship battle, as Norris's pass secured extra points. This increased the Briton's championship lead over Verstappen to 12 points heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi.
In its official communication, Red Bull asserted: "Observations voiced implying that Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake are clearly incorrect. Replay footage demonstrates Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thus allowing Norris to get by. We sincerely regret that this has led to Kimi being subjected to such abuse."
The team's announcement did not include a formal apology for the original claim. However, reports indicate that Lambiase subsequently apologised to Toto Wolff after reviewing footage of the on-track moment.
"This is complete and utter rubbish. That blows my mind even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are fighting for P2 in the team standings... How brainless can you be to even suggest something like this?"
Wolff added that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who stated he had not seen the actual incident when he spoke over the radio. Mercedes reported a "1,100% increase" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli after the Grand Prix.
For his part, Antonelli described the moment as a error. He commented he was driving aggressively to catch Carlos Sainz and experienced a "massive moment" that led him to go off track and surrender fourth place.
"It was really hard with the dirty air and the high tyre temperatures," the driver stated. "A shame to lose the place because it would have been two more points."
Key Points from the Situation
- Red Bull has voiced remorse for comments made by a team member.
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by severe online abuse in the aftermath of those comments.
- The disputed comment involved an overtaking move that affected the title battle.
- Video replays show Antonelli lost control, debunking the implication of deliberate action.
- The engineer involved has expressed regret to Mercedes management.
