Red Bull Voices Remorse Regarding Comments Linked to Death Threats Targeting Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli
The Red Bull Formula 1 team has released a comment expressing its sincere regret for comments made that preceded widespread online abuse, including death threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli reportedly switched his social media picture to a solid black image on Monday, a response to the hurtful messages that flooded his accounts. His team stated that a number of these messages constituted direct threats against the driver's life.
The controversy stems from team radio during the closing stages of the recent race. Max Verstappen's race engineer remarked over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to allow rival driver Lando Norris to pass.
This incident proved significant for the championship battle, as Norris's pass earned him extra points. This increased the McLaren driver's championship lead over Verstappen to a dozen points ahead of the final race in Abu Dhabi.
In its official communication, Red Bull clarified: "Observations made implying that Mercedes driver had intentionally let Lando Norris past are factually wrong. Video evidence shows Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thus allowing Norris to get by. We sincerely regret that this has led to Kimi being subjected to online abuse."
The team's announcement did not include a direct apology for the original claim. However, sources indicate that Lambiase later said sorry to Mercedes team principal after being shown 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 P2 in the team standings... How brainless can you be to even suggest something like this?"
Wolff explained that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who claimed he did not witness the moment when he spoke over the radio. Mercedes reported a "massive surge" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli following the race.
For his part, Antonelli explained the moment as a simple mistake. He commented he was pushing hard to catch Carlos Sainz and had a "big snap" that led him to go off track and surrender fourth place.
"It proved really hard with the turbulence and the high tyre temperatures," Antonelli remarked. "A shame to lose the place because it would have been additional points."
Main Takeaways from the Incident
- Red Bull has voiced remorse for radio remarks made by a staff member.
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by severe online abuse in the wake of those comments.
- The disputed comment centered on an overtaking move that affected the title battle.
- Video replays confirm Antonelli lost control, contradicting the suggestion of team orders.
- The engineer involved has expressed regret to Mercedes team leadership.
