Red Bull Expresses Remorse Regarding Comments Linked to Death Threats Against Driver Kimi Antonelli
The Red Bull racing outfit has released a comment expressing its sincere regret for post-race remarks that preceded a torrent of 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 response to the abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. Mercedes stated that several of these communications constituted threats against the driver's life.
The controversy stems from radio communications during the final laps of the Qatar Grand Prix. Max Verstappen's race engineer remarked over the air that it "appeared as if" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to let rival driver Lando Norris through.
This occurrence proved crucial for the championship battle, as the overtake earned him two additional points. This increased the Briton's points advantage over Verstappen to 12 points heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
In its statement, Red Bull asserted: "Comments voiced implying that Kimi Antonelli had intentionally let Lando Norris past are factually wrong. Replay footage demonstrates Antonelli briefly 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 formal apology for the original claim. However, reports indicate that Lambiase later said sorry to Mercedes team principal after reviewing footage of the incident.
"This is complete and utter rubbish. That astounds me even to hear that," stated Wolff. "We are fighting for second place in the constructors' championship... How foolish can you be to even suggest something like this?"
Wolff explained that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who stated he had not seen the moment when he spoke over the radio. The team noted a "massive surge" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli following the race.
For his part, Antonelli described the racing incident as a error. He commented he was driving aggressively to close on Carlos Sainz and had a "big snap" that caused him to run wide and lose the position.
"It was really hard with the turbulence and the high tyre temperatures," Antonelli remarked. "It's disappointing to lose the place because it would have been two more points."
Key Points from the Incident
- Red Bull has voiced remorse for radio remarks made by a team member.
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by death threats in the aftermath of those comments.
- The disputed comment involved an overtaking move that affected the title battle.
- Video replays show Antonelli lost control, debunking the implication of team orders.
- The engineer involved has expressed regret to Mercedes management.
