Red Bull Voices Remorse Over Comments Following Online Abuse Against Driver Kimi Antonelli
The Red Bull Formula 1 team has issued a statement stating its deep remorse for comments made that were followed by widespread online abuse, including vile threats, directed at young talent Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli reportedly switched his Instagram profile to a blank image on Monday, a response to the hurtful messages that appeared on his accounts. His team stated that a number of these communications constituted threats against the driver's life.
The situation stems from radio communications during the final laps of the Qatar Grand Prix. Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase suggested over the air that it "appeared as if" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to allow McLaren's Lando Norris to pass.
This incident proved significant for the championship battle, as Norris's pass earned him extra points. This extended the Briton's points advantage over Verstappen to 12 points ahead of the final race in Abu Dhabi.
In its official communication, Red Bull asserted: "Comments voiced implying that Mercedes driver had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake are clearly incorrect. Replay footage demonstrates Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thereby allowing Norris to pass him. We deeply regret that this has led to Kimi receiving such abuse."
The team's statement did not include a formal apology for the original claim. However, sources indicate that Lambiase subsequently apologised to Mercedes team principal after being shown video evidence of the incident.
"This is total, utter nonsense. That blows my mind even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are fighting 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 claimed he had not seen the moment when he made the comment. Mercedes reported a "massive surge" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli after the Grand Prix.
For his part, Antonelli explained the racing incident as a error. He said he was driving aggressively to catch Carlos Sainz and had 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. "A shame to lose the place because it would have been additional points."
Main Takeaways from the Situation
- Red Bull has voiced remorse for comments made by a staff member.
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli received death threats in the aftermath of those comments.
- The controversial remark involved an on-track pass that affected the title battle.
- Video evidence show Antonelli made a mistake, contradicting the suggestion of deliberate action.
- The engineer involved has apologised to Mercedes management.
