Red Bull Expresses Remorse Over Comments Following Death Threats Against Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull racing outfit has released a comment expressing its deep remorse for comments made that were followed by widespread social media vitriol, including death threats, directed at young talent Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli was said to have changed his Instagram profile to a blank image on Monday, a response to the hurtful messages that appeared on his accounts. Mercedes stated that a number of these messages included threats against the driver's life.

The controversy originated with team radio during the closing stages of the Qatar Grand Prix. Max Verstappen's race engineer suggested over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "deliberately moved aside" to allow rival driver Lando Norris to pass.

This occurrence proved crucial for the championship battle, as Norris's pass secured extra points. This extended the Briton's championship lead over Verstappen to a dozen points ahead of the final race in Abu Dhabi.

In its official communication, Red Bull clarified: "Comments made suggesting that Kimi Antonelli had intentionally let Lando Norris past are clearly incorrect. Replay footage demonstrates Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thereby enabling 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 formal apology for the initial accusation. However, sources indicate that Lambiase later said sorry to Mercedes team principal after reviewing video evidence of the on-track moment.

"This is complete and utter rubbish. That blows my mind even to hear that," said 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 did not witness the moment when he made the comment. The team reported a "1,100% increase" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli after the Grand Prix.

For his part, Antonelli described the racing incident as a simple mistake. He said he was pushing hard to close on Carlos Sainz and had a "massive moment" that caused him to run wide and lose the position.

"It proved really hard with the turbulence and the tyres were overheating," the driver stated. "It's disappointing to lose the place because it would have been two more points."

Main Takeaways from the Situation

• Red Bull has expressed regret for comments made by a staff member.
• Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli received death threats in the wake of those comments.
• The controversial remark centered on an on-track pass that affected the title battle.
• Video evidence show Antonelli made a mistake, debunking the implication of team orders.
• The engineer involved has apologised to Mercedes management.