🔗 Share this article The Red Bull team Expresses Remorse Over Comments Following Online Abuse Against Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli Max Verstappen's win in Qatar sets up a dramatic championship decider. The Red Bull racing outfit has released a comment stating its deep remorse for post-race remarks that were followed by a torrent of online abuse, including death threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli was said to have switched his Instagram profile to a blank image on Monday, a response to the abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. His team confirmed that several of these messages included direct threats against the youngster's life. The controversy originated with radio communications during the final laps of the recent race. Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase remarked over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to let rival driver Lando Norris through. This occurrence proved significant for the championship battle, as the overtake earned him extra points. This increased the Briton's championship lead over Verstappen to 12 points ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi. In its statement, Red Bull clarified: "Observations made implying that Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris past are clearly incorrect. Replay footage demonstrates Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thereby enabling Norris to get by. We deeply regret that this has resulted in Kimi being subjected to such abuse." The team's announcement stopped short of a direct apology for the original claim. However, reports indicate that Lambiase subsequently 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 P2 in the constructors' championship... How brainless can you be to even suggest something like this?" Wolff explained that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who stated he did not witness the moment when he made the comment. Mercedes reported a "1,100% increase" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli following the race. Kimi Antonelli finished fifth at the demanding Qatar Grand Prix. For his part, Antonelli explained the moment as a error. He said he was driving aggressively to catch the Williams ahead and had a "massive moment" that caused him to run wide and lose the position. "It was really hard with the dirty air and the high tyre temperatures," the driver stated. "It's disappointing to lose the place because it would have been two more points." Main Takeaways from the Situation Red Bull has expressed regret for radio remarks made by a staff member. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli received death threats in the aftermath of those comments. The disputed comment centered on an on-track pass that affected the title battle. Video replays show Antonelli made a mistake, debunking the suggestion of team orders. The individual in question has expressed regret to Mercedes team leadership.
Max Verstappen's win in Qatar sets up a dramatic championship decider. The Red Bull racing outfit has released a comment stating its deep remorse for post-race remarks that were followed by a torrent of online abuse, including death threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli was said to have switched his Instagram profile to a blank image on Monday, a response to the abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. His team confirmed that several of these messages included direct threats against the youngster's life. The controversy originated with radio communications during the final laps of the recent race. Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase remarked over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to let rival driver Lando Norris through. This occurrence proved significant for the championship battle, as the overtake earned him extra points. This increased the Briton's championship lead over Verstappen to 12 points ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi. In its statement, Red Bull clarified: "Observations made implying that Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris past are clearly incorrect. Replay footage demonstrates Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thereby enabling Norris to get by. We deeply regret that this has resulted in Kimi being subjected to such abuse." The team's announcement stopped short of a direct apology for the original claim. However, reports indicate that Lambiase subsequently 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 P2 in the constructors' championship... How brainless can you be to even suggest something like this?" Wolff explained that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who stated he did not witness the moment when he made the comment. Mercedes reported a "1,100% increase" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli following the race. Kimi Antonelli finished fifth at the demanding Qatar Grand Prix. For his part, Antonelli explained the moment as a error. He said he was driving aggressively to catch the Williams ahead and had a "massive moment" that caused him to run wide and lose the position. "It was really hard with the dirty air and the high tyre temperatures," the driver stated. "It's disappointing to lose the place because it would have been two more points." Main Takeaways from the Situation Red Bull has expressed regret for radio remarks made by a staff member. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli received death threats in the aftermath of those comments. The disputed comment centered on an on-track pass that affected the title battle. Video replays show Antonelli made a mistake, debunking the suggestion of team orders. The individual in question has expressed regret to Mercedes team leadership.