Red Bull Expresses Remorse Regarding Comments Linked to Online Abuse Against Driver Kimi Antonelli
The Red Bull racing outfit has issued a statement stating its sincere regret 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 social media picture to a blank image on Monday, a reaction to the abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. Mercedes stated that a number of these communications constituted direct threats against the youngster's life.
The situation stems from team radio during the final laps of the recent race. Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase suggested over the air that it "appeared as if" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to allow McLaren's Lando Norris through.
This occurrence proved significant for the title fight, as Norris's pass secured extra points. This increased the McLaren driver's championship lead over Verstappen to a dozen points heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi.
In its official communication, Red Bull clarified: "Observations made implying that Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake are factually wrong. Video evidence demonstrates Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thus enabling Norris to pass him. We deeply regret that this has led to Kimi being subjected to online abuse."
The team's announcement stopped short of a direct apology for the initial accusation. However, reports indicate that Lambiase later apologised to Mercedes team principal after being shown footage of the on-track moment.
"This is complete and utter rubbish. That blows my mind even to hear that," stated Wolff. "We are fighting for second place in the team standings... How foolish 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. The team noted a "massive surge" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli following the race.
For his part, Antonelli described the racing incident as a error. He said he was pushing hard to catch Carlos Sainz and had a "massive moment" that caused him to run wide and surrender fourth place.
"It proved really hard with the dirty air and the tyres were overheating," Antonelli remarked. "A shame to lose the place because it would have been two more points."
Key Points from the Situation
- Red Bull has expressed regret for radio remarks made by a staff member.
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli received death threats in the aftermath of those comments.
- The controversial remark centered on an on-track pass that impacted the title battle.
- Video replays confirm Antonelli made a mistake, contradicting the suggestion of deliberate action.
- The engineer involved has expressed regret to Mercedes management.
