Red Bull Expresses Remorse Regarding Remarks Linked to Death Threats Against Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli
The Red Bull racing outfit has issued a statement stating its deep remorse for comments made that were followed by widespread social media vitriol, including death threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli reportedly switched his Instagram profile to a solid black image on Monday, a response to the abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. Mercedes stated that a number of these communications constituted threats against the driver's life.
The situation originated with team radio during the closing stages of the recent race. Max Verstappen's race engineer suggested over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "deliberately moved aside" to let McLaren's Lando Norris through.
This occurrence proved crucial for the championship battle, as Norris's pass secured two additional points. This increased the Briton's championship lead over Verstappen to a dozen points ahead of the final race in Abu Dhabi.
In its statement, Red Bull clarified: "Comments made suggesting that Mercedes driver had intentionally let Lando Norris past are factually wrong. Video evidence demonstrates Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thus allowing Norris to get by. We sincerely regret that this has led to Kimi receiving such abuse."
The team's announcement did not include a formal apology for the initial accusation. However, reports indicate that Lambiase subsequently said sorry to Mercedes team principal after being shown footage of the on-track moment.
"This is total, utter nonsense. That astounds me even to hear that," stated 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 spoken with Lambiase, who stated he did not witness the actual incident when he made the comment. Mercedes reported a "1,100% increase" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli following the Grand Prix.
For his part, Antonelli described the moment as a simple mistake. He said he was driving aggressively to close on the Williams ahead and had a "massive moment" that caused him to run wide and surrender fourth place.
"It was really hard with the dirty air and the tyres were overheating," Antonelli remarked. "A shame to lose the place because it would have been additional points."
Key Points from the Incident
- Red Bull has voiced remorse for comments made by a staff member.
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by death threats in the aftermath of those comments.
- The disputed comment centered on an overtaking move that affected the title battle.
- Video replays show Antonelli made a mistake, contradicting the implication of team orders.
- The individual in question has expressed regret to Mercedes team leadership.