Red Bull Expresses Regret Regarding Comments Following Online Abuse Against Driver Kimi Antonelli
The Red Bull Formula 1 team has released a comment expressing its sincere regret for comments made that were followed by a torrent of social media vitriol, including vile 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. Mercedes stated that a number of these messages constituted threats against the youngster's life.
The situation stems from radio communications during the final laps of the Qatar Grand Prix. Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase remarked over the air that it "appeared as if" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to let McLaren's Lando Norris through.
This incident proved significant for the championship battle, as the overtake earned him extra points. This increased the McLaren driver's championship lead over Verstappen to 12 points ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
In its statement, Red Bull asserted: "Comments made suggesting that Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake are factually wrong. Replay footage demonstrates Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thereby allowing Norris to pass him. We sincerely regret that this has resulted in Kimi receiving online abuse."
The team's announcement stopped short of a formal apology for the initial accusation. However, reports indicate that Lambiase later apologised to Mercedes team principal after reviewing footage of the incident.
"This is complete and utter rubbish. That blows my mind even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are battling for P2 in the team standings... How foolish can you be to even say something like this?"
Wolff explained that he had spoken with Lambiase, who stated he did not witness the actual incident when he made the comment. The team noted a "massive surge" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli after the race.
For his part, Antonelli explained the racing incident as a simple mistake. He said he was pushing hard to catch the Williams ahead and had a "massive moment" 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. "It's disappointing to lose the place because it would have been additional points."
Key Points from the Situation
- Red Bull has expressed regret for radio remarks made by a staff member.
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by death threats in the aftermath of those comments.
- The controversial remark centered on an on-track pass that impacted the championship standings.
- Video evidence show Antonelli lost control, contradicting the suggestion of deliberate action.
- The engineer involved has apologised to Mercedes management.
