Red Bull Expresses Remorse Regarding Comments Following Online Abuse Targeting Driver Kimi Antonelli
The Red Bull racing outfit has issued a statement expressing its deep remorse for comments made that preceded a torrent of online abuse, including death threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli was said to have changed his social media picture to a solid black image on Monday, a reaction to the hurtful messages that flooded his accounts. Mercedes confirmed that a number of these communications included direct threats against the youngster's life.
The controversy originated with team radio during the closing stages of the recent race. Max Verstappen's race engineer remarked over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to allow McLaren's Lando Norris through.
This incident proved significant for the championship battle, as the overtake earned him extra points. This extended the Briton's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points ahead of 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 factually wrong. Video evidence demonstrates Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thereby enabling Norris to pass him. We deeply regret that this has led to Kimi receiving such abuse."
The team's announcement stopped short of a direct apology for the original claim. However, reports indicate that Lambiase later said sorry to Toto Wolff after reviewing video evidence of the incident.
"This is total, utter nonsense. That astounds me even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are fighting for P2 in the team standings... How foolish can you be to even say something like this?"
Wolff explained that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who claimed he had not seen the actual incident when he made the comment. The team reported a "1,100% increase" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli after the Grand Prix.
For his part, Antonelli described the moment as a error. He said he was driving aggressively to catch the Williams ahead and had a "big snap" that led him to run wide and surrender fourth place.
"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 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 impacted the championship standings.
- Video evidence confirm Antonelli made a mistake, contradicting the suggestion of deliberate action.
- The individual in question has expressed regret to Mercedes management.
