Red Bull Expresses Regret Regarding Comments Following Death Threats Against Driver Kimi Antonelli
The Red Bull Formula 1 team has issued a statement expressing its sincere regret for post-race remarks that were followed by a torrent of online abuse, including death threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli reportedly changed his social media picture to a blank image on Monday, a response to the abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. His team confirmed that a number of these communications constituted threats against the youngster's life.
The situation stems from team radio during the final laps of the Qatar Grand Prix. Max Verstappen's race engineer suggested over the air that it "appeared as if" Antonelli had "deliberately moved aside" to allow McLaren's Lando Norris through.
This occurrence proved significant for the championship battle, as Norris's pass secured two additional points. This increased the McLaren driver's championship lead over Verstappen to a dozen points ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
In its official communication, Red Bull asserted: "Comments voiced suggesting that Kimi Antonelli had intentionally let Lando Norris past are clearly incorrect. Replay footage demonstrates Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thereby allowing Norris to get by. We deeply regret that this has resulted in Kimi receiving online abuse."
The team's announcement did not include a direct apology for the original claim. However, sources indicate that Lambiase later apologised to Mercedes team principal after being shown video evidence of the incident.
"This is total, utter nonsense. 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 explained that he had spoken with Lambiase, who stated he had not seen the actual incident when he made the comment. The team reported a "1,100% increase" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli following the race.
For his part, Antonelli described the racing incident as a simple mistake. He commented he was pushing hard to close on the Williams ahead and had a "big snap" that caused him to go off track and lose the position.
"It proved really hard with the dirty air and the high tyre temperatures," Antonelli remarked. "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 was targeted by death threats in the aftermath of those comments.
- The disputed comment involved an overtaking move that impacted the title battle.
- Video evidence show Antonelli made a mistake, debunking the suggestion of deliberate action.
- The individual in question has expressed regret to Mercedes team leadership.
