The Red Bull team Voices Remorse Regarding Remarks 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 online abuse, including vile threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli reportedly switched 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 several of these messages constituted threats against the youngster's life.
The situation originated with team radio during the final laps of the Qatar Grand Prix. Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase remarked over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to let rival driver Lando Norris to pass.
This occurrence proved significant for the championship battle, as the overtake secured extra points. This extended the Briton's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi.
In its official communication, Red Bull clarified: "Observations made suggesting that Mercedes driver had intentionally let Lando Norris to overtake are factually wrong. Video evidence demonstrates Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thus allowing Norris to get by. We deeply regret that this has led to Kimi receiving online abuse."
The team's announcement stopped short of a formal apology for the original claim. However, reports indicate that Lambiase later apologised to Mercedes team principal after reviewing video evidence of the on-track moment.
"This is total, utter nonsense. That blows my mind even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are battling for second place in the team standings... How foolish can you be to even suggest something like this?"
Wolff added that he had spoken with Lambiase, who claimed he did not witness the moment when he spoke over the radio. Mercedes reported a "massive surge" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli following the race.
For his part, Antonelli explained the racing incident as a simple mistake. He commented he was pushing hard to close on Carlos Sainz and experienced a "big snap" that led him to run wide and lose the position.
"It was really hard with the turbulence and the high tyre temperatures," Antonelli remarked. "A shame to lose the place because it would have been two more points."
Key Points from the Incident
- Red Bull has expressed regret for radio remarks made by a team member.
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by severe online abuse in the wake of those comments.
- The controversial remark involved an overtaking move that impacted the title battle.
- Video evidence show Antonelli lost control, debunking the implication of team orders.
- The engineer involved has expressed regret to Mercedes management.
