Red Bull Voices Remorse Regarding Comments Following Online Abuse Against Driver Kimi Antonelli
The Red Bull Formula 1 team has issued a statement expressing its sincere regret for comments made that were followed by widespread online abuse, including death threats, directed at young talent Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli was said to have changed his social media picture to a solid black image on Monday, a reaction to the abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. Mercedes confirmed that a number of these communications constituted direct threats against the youngster's life.
The controversy originated with team radio 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 "deliberately moved aside" to allow McLaren's Lando Norris to pass.
This occurrence proved crucial for the title fight, as the overtake earned him extra points. This extended the McLaren driver's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points ahead of the final race in Abu Dhabi.
In its official communication, Red Bull asserted: "Comments voiced suggesting that Mercedes driver had deliberately allowed Lando Norris past are clearly incorrect. Video evidence shows Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thereby enabling Norris to get by. We sincerely regret that this has resulted in Kimi receiving such abuse."
The team's statement stopped short of a formal apology for the original claim. However, reports indicate that Lambiase later said sorry to Mercedes team principal after reviewing footage of the incident.
"This is total, utter nonsense. That blows my mind even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are fighting for P2 in the constructors' championship... How brainless can you be to even suggest something like this?"
Wolff explained that he had spoken with Lambiase, who stated he had not seen the actual incident when he spoke over the radio. The team noted a "massive surge" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli after the race.
For his part, Antonelli explained the moment as a error. He commented he was pushing hard to catch Carlos Sainz and had a "big snap" that caused him to run wide and lose the position.
"It was really hard with the turbulence and the tyres were overheating," Antonelli remarked. "It's disappointing to lose the place because it would have been additional points."
Key Points from the Incident
- Red Bull has voiced remorse for radio remarks made by a team member.
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by death threats in the aftermath of those comments.
- The controversial remark centered on an overtaking move that affected the title battle.
- Video replays confirm Antonelli made a mistake, contradicting the suggestion of deliberate action.
- The engineer involved has apologised to Mercedes team leadership.
