Red Bull Expresses Remorse Regarding Comments Following Online Abuse Against Driver Kimi Antonelli
The Red Bull racing outfit has released a comment stating its deep remorse for post-race remarks that preceded 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 response to the hurtful messages that flooded his accounts. His team stated that several of these messages constituted threats against the driver's life.
The situation stems from team radio 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 allow rival driver Lando Norris through.
This incident proved crucial for the championship battle, as Norris's pass earned him extra points. This extended the Briton's championship lead over Verstappen to 12 points ahead of the final race in Abu Dhabi.
In its statement, Red Bull clarified: "Observations voiced suggesting that Kimi Antonelli had intentionally let Lando Norris past are clearly incorrect. Video evidence shows Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thus allowing Norris to pass him. We sincerely regret that this has resulted in Kimi receiving online abuse."
The team's statement stopped short of a formal apology for the initial accusation. However, reports indicate that Lambiase later said sorry to Toto Wolff after being shown video evidence of the on-track moment.
"This is complete and utter rubbish. That astounds me even to hear that," stated Wolff. "We are battling for second place in the constructors' championship... How brainless can you be to even suggest something like this?"
Wolff added that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who stated he did not witness the moment when he made the comment. Mercedes reported a "massive surge" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli following the race.
For his part, Antonelli explained the moment as a simple mistake. He said he was pushing hard to close on the Williams ahead and had a "big snap" that caused him to go off track and lose the position.
"It proved 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 two more points."
Main Takeaways from the Situation
- Red Bull has expressed regret for comments made by a staff member.
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli received severe online abuse in the wake of those comments.
- The disputed comment involved an overtaking move that impacted the championship standings.
- Video replays show Antonelli made a mistake, contradicting the suggestion of team orders.
- The individual in question has expressed regret to Mercedes management.
