🔗 Share this article The Red Bull team Expresses Regret Regarding Remarks Linked to Death Threats Targeting Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli Max Verstappen's victory in Qatar sets up a dramatic season finale. The Red Bull racing outfit has issued a statement stating its sincere regret for comments made that preceded widespread social media vitriol, including vile threats, directed at young talent Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli reportedly changed his Instagram profile to a solid black image on Monday, a response to the abusive comments that flooded his accounts. Mercedes stated that a number of these messages constituted direct threats against the youngster's life. The controversy stems from radio communications 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 let rival driver Lando Norris through. This incident proved significant for the title fight, as the overtake earned him extra points. This increased the Briton's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points ahead of the final race in Abu Dhabi. In its official communication, Red Bull clarified: "Observations voiced implying that Mercedes driver had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake are factually wrong. Video evidence demonstrates Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thereby allowing Norris to pass him. We sincerely regret that this has resulted in Kimi being subjected to such abuse." The team's statement did not include a formal apology for the initial accusation. However, sources indicate that Lambiase later apologised to Toto Wolff after being shown footage 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 team standings... How brainless can you be to even suggest something like this?" Wolff added that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who claimed he did not witness the actual incident when he made the comment. The team reported a "massive surge" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli following the race. Kimi Antonelli finished fifth at the challenging Qatar Grand Prix. For his part, Antonelli described the racing incident as a simple mistake. He said he was driving aggressively to catch Carlos Sainz and had a "big snap" that led him to run wide and lose the position. "It proved really hard with the turbulence 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 Incident Red Bull has voiced remorse for radio remarks made by a staff member. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by severe online abuse in the wake of those comments. The disputed comment centered on an on-track pass that affected the title battle. Video evidence show Antonelli lost control, contradicting the suggestion of team orders. The engineer involved has expressed regret to Mercedes team leadership.
Max Verstappen's victory in Qatar sets up a dramatic season finale. The Red Bull racing outfit has issued a statement stating its sincere regret for comments made that preceded widespread social media vitriol, including vile threats, directed at young talent Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli reportedly changed his Instagram profile to a solid black image on Monday, a response to the abusive comments that flooded his accounts. Mercedes stated that a number of these messages constituted direct threats against the youngster's life. The controversy stems from radio communications 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 let rival driver Lando Norris through. This incident proved significant for the title fight, as the overtake earned him extra points. This increased the Briton's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points ahead of the final race in Abu Dhabi. In its official communication, Red Bull clarified: "Observations voiced implying that Mercedes driver had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake are factually wrong. Video evidence demonstrates Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thereby allowing Norris to pass him. We sincerely regret that this has resulted in Kimi being subjected to such abuse." The team's statement did not include a formal apology for the initial accusation. However, sources indicate that Lambiase later apologised to Toto Wolff after being shown footage 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 team standings... How brainless can you be to even suggest something like this?" Wolff added that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who claimed he did not witness the actual incident when he made the comment. The team reported a "massive surge" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli following the race. Kimi Antonelli finished fifth at the challenging Qatar Grand Prix. For his part, Antonelli described the racing incident as a simple mistake. He said he was driving aggressively to catch Carlos Sainz and had a "big snap" that led him to run wide and lose the position. "It proved really hard with the turbulence 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 Incident Red Bull has voiced remorse for radio remarks made by a staff member. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by severe online abuse in the wake of those comments. The disputed comment centered on an on-track pass that affected the title battle. Video evidence show Antonelli lost control, contradicting the suggestion of team orders. The engineer involved has expressed regret to Mercedes team leadership.