Red Bull Voices Remorse Regarding Comments Linked to Online Abuse Targeting Driver Kimi Antonelli
The Red Bull racing outfit has released a comment stating its sincere regret for post-race remarks that were followed by widespread online abuse, including vile threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli reportedly changed his Instagram profile to a solid black image on Monday, a reaction to the abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. His team confirmed that several of these communications 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 "appeared as if" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to let McLaren's Lando Norris through.
This occurrence proved crucial for the title fight, as Norris's pass earned him two additional points. This extended the Briton's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi.
In its official communication, Red Bull asserted: "Observations voiced suggesting that Mercedes driver had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake are factually wrong. Video evidence demonstrates Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thereby enabling Norris to get by. We sincerely regret that this has resulted in Kimi being subjected to online abuse."
The team's statement did not include a formal apology for the original claim. However, reports indicate that Lambiase subsequently apologised to Toto Wolff after reviewing video evidence of the incident.
"This is total, utter nonsense. That astounds me even to hear that," stated Wolff. "We are battling for P2 in the constructors' championship... How foolish can you be to even suggest something like this?"
Wolff explained that he had spoken with Lambiase, who claimed he had not seen the moment when he made the comment. The team 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 driving aggressively to close on the Williams ahead and experienced a "big snap" that led him to go off track 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 additional points."
Key Points from the Situation
- Red Bull has voiced remorse for radio remarks made by a staff member.
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by death threats in the wake of those comments.
- The disputed comment involved an overtaking move that affected the championship standings.
- Video evidence show Antonelli made a mistake, contradicting the implication of team orders.
- The engineer involved has apologised to Mercedes team leadership.
