Red Bull Expresses Regret Regarding Comments Linked to Death Threats Against Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli
The Red Bull Formula 1 team has issued a statement expressing its deep remorse for post-race remarks that were followed by widespread social media vitriol, including death threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli was said to have changed his Instagram profile to a solid black image on Monday, a reaction to the hurtful messages that flooded his accounts. His team stated that a number of these communications included threats against the driver's life.
The situation originated with team radio during the final laps of the recent race. Max Verstappen's race engineer remarked over the air that it "appeared as if" Antonelli had "deliberately moved aside" to allow McLaren's Lando Norris to pass.
This incident proved crucial for the title fight, as Norris's pass earned him extra points. This extended the Briton's points advantage over Verstappen to 12 points heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
In its official communication, Red Bull asserted: "Observations made suggesting that Kimi Antonelli had intentionally let Lando Norris to overtake are clearly incorrect. Video evidence demonstrates Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thus enabling Norris to get by. We sincerely regret that this has resulted in Kimi being subjected to online abuse."
The team's statement stopped short of a formal apology for the initial accusation. However, reports indicate that Lambiase later apologised to Toto Wolff after reviewing footage of the on-track moment.
"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 brainless 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 negative traffic targeting Antonelli after the race.
For his part, Antonelli described the moment as a error. He commented he was driving aggressively to close on Carlos Sainz and experienced a "big snap" that caused him to go off track and lose the position.
"It proved really hard with the dirty air and the tyres were overheating," 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 team member.
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by severe online abuse in the aftermath of those comments.
- The controversial remark involved an overtaking move that affected the title battle.
- Video evidence show Antonelli lost control, contradicting the suggestion of team orders.
- The individual in question has apologised to Mercedes team leadership.
