Red Bull Voices Regret Over Remarks Linked to Online Abuse Against Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull racing outfit has issued a statement expressing its sincere regret for post-race remarks that were followed by a torrent of 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 reaction to the hurtful messages that flooded his accounts. Mercedes stated that several of these messages constituted threats against the youngster's life.

The controversy originated with radio communications during the closing stages of the Qatar Grand Prix. Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase remarked over the air that it "appeared as if" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to let rival driver Lando Norris to pass.

This incident proved significant for the title fight, as the overtake earned him two additional points. This increased the McLaren driver's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi.

In its statement, Red Bull clarified: "Observations voiced implying that Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake are factually wrong. Video evidence shows Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thereby enabling Norris to get by. We sincerely regret that this has led to Kimi being subjected to such abuse."

The team's statement stopped short of a formal apology for the original claim. However, sources indicate that Lambiase later apologised to Mercedes team principal after reviewing video evidence of the on-track moment.

"This is total, utter nonsense. That astounds me even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are fighting for second place in the constructors' championship... How foolish can you be to even say something like this?"

Wolff explained that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who stated he had not seen the actual incident when he spoke over the radio. The team noted a "massive surge" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli following the race.

For his part, Antonelli explained the racing incident as a simple mistake. He said he was pushing hard 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," the driver stated. "A shame to lose the place because it would have been additional points."

Key Points from the Situation

• 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 disputed comment involved an on-track pass that affected the title battle.
• Video replays show Antonelli lost control, debunking the suggestion of deliberate action.
• The individual in question has apologised to Mercedes management.