Red Bull Voices Remorse Over Comments Following Online Abuse Against Driver Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull Formula 1 team has released a comment stating its sincere regret for comments made that were followed by widespread online abuse, including death threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli reportedly switched his Instagram profile to a blank image on Monday, a response to the hurtful messages that appeared on his accounts. His team stated that a number of these communications constituted direct threats against the driver's life.

The situation stems from radio communications during the final laps of the recent race. Max Verstappen's race engineer suggested over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to let McLaren's Lando Norris to pass.

This incident proved significant for the title fight, as the overtake earned him extra points. This extended the Briton's championship lead over Verstappen to a dozen points heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

In its official communication, Red Bull asserted: "Comments voiced suggesting that Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris past are clearly incorrect. Replay footage shows Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thus allowing Norris to get by. We deeply regret that this has resulted in Kimi receiving 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 astounds me even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are battling for P2 in the constructors' championship... How brainless can you be to even suggest something like this?"

Wolff explained that he had spoken with Lambiase, who stated he had not seen the actual incident when he spoke over the radio. Mercedes reported a "massive surge" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli following the Grand Prix.

For his part, Antonelli explained the moment as a simple mistake. He commented he was pushing hard to catch Carlos Sainz and had a "big snap" that led him to go off track and lose the position.

"It was really hard with the dirty air and the tyres were overheating," the driver stated. "It's disappointing to lose the place because it would have been additional points."

Main Takeaways from the Incident

• Red Bull has expressed regret for comments made by a staff member.
• Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by severe online abuse in the wake of those comments.
• The controversial remark involved an on-track pass that affected the championship standings.
• Video replays confirm Antonelli made a mistake, contradicting the suggestion of deliberate action.
• The engineer involved has apologised to Mercedes management.