Red Bull Voices Remorse Over Remarks Following Death Threats Targeting Driver Kimi Antonelli
The Red Bull racing outfit has released a comment expressing its sincere regret for comments made that were followed by a torrent of online abuse, including death threats, directed at young talent Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli reportedly changed his Instagram profile to a solid black image on Monday, a response to the hurtful messages that appeared on his accounts. His team stated that a number of these messages constituted threats against the driver'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 to pass.
This occurrence proved crucial for the championship battle, as Norris's pass earned him two additional points. This extended the McLaren driver's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi.
In its official communication, Red Bull clarified: "Comments made implying that Mercedes driver had intentionally let Lando Norris to overtake are clearly incorrect. Replay footage shows Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thereby enabling Norris to pass him. We sincerely regret that this has led to Kimi being subjected to online abuse."
The team's announcement stopped short of a formal apology for the original claim. However, sources indicate that Lambiase later said sorry to Toto Wolff after reviewing footage of the on-track moment.
"This is complete and utter rubbish. That blows my mind even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are fighting for second place in the constructors' championship... How brainless can you be to even say something like this?"
Wolff explained that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who stated he did not witness the actual incident when he made the comment. Mercedes reported a "massive surge" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli following the Grand Prix.
For his part, Antonelli explained the racing incident as a error. He said he was pushing hard to catch the Williams ahead and experienced a "massive moment" that caused him to run wide and lose the position.
"It proved really hard with the dirty air and the high tyre temperatures," the driver stated. "A shame to lose the place because it would have been two more points."
Main Takeaways from the Incident
- Red Bull has expressed regret for radio remarks made by a staff member.
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli received death threats in the wake of those comments.
- The controversial remark involved 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 apologised to Mercedes management.
