đź”— Share this article Red Bull Voices Remorse Over Comments Following Online Abuse Against Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli Max Verstappen's win in Qatar pushes a dramatic season finale. The Red Bull Formula 1 team has issued a statement stating its deep remorse for comments made that were followed by widespread social media vitriol, including death threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli reportedly switched his social media picture to a blank image on Monday, a response to the hurtful messages that appeared on his accounts. His team stated that several of these messages included threats against the driver'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 "deliberately moved aside" to let McLaren's Lando Norris to pass. This incident proved significant for the championship battle, as Norris's pass secured extra points. This extended the McLaren driver's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi. In its official communication, Red Bull asserted: "Observations voiced suggesting that Mercedes driver had deliberately allowed Lando Norris past are factually wrong. Video evidence shows Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thereby allowing Norris to get by. We sincerely regret that this has led to Kimi being subjected to online abuse." The team's announcement stopped short of a direct apology for the initial accusation. However, reports indicate that Lambiase subsequently said sorry to Mercedes team principal after being shown video evidence of the on-track moment. "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 say something like this?" Wolff added that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who claimed he did not witness the actual incident when he spoke over the radio. Mercedes noted a "massive surge" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli after the Grand Prix. 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 Carlos Sainz and had a "massive moment" that caused him to go off track and lose the position. "It was really hard with the turbulence 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 expressed regret for radio remarks made by a staff member. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by severe online abuse 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.
Max Verstappen's win in Qatar pushes a dramatic season finale. The Red Bull Formula 1 team has issued a statement stating its deep remorse for comments made that were followed by widespread social media vitriol, including death threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli reportedly switched his social media picture to a blank image on Monday, a response to the hurtful messages that appeared on his accounts. His team stated that several of these messages included threats against the driver'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 "deliberately moved aside" to let McLaren's Lando Norris to pass. This incident proved significant for the championship battle, as Norris's pass secured extra points. This extended the McLaren driver's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi. In its official communication, Red Bull asserted: "Observations voiced suggesting that Mercedes driver had deliberately allowed Lando Norris past are factually wrong. Video evidence shows Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thereby allowing Norris to get by. We sincerely regret that this has led to Kimi being subjected to online abuse." The team's announcement stopped short of a direct apology for the initial accusation. However, reports indicate that Lambiase subsequently said sorry to Mercedes team principal after being shown video evidence of the on-track moment. "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 say something like this?" Wolff added that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who claimed he did not witness the actual incident when he spoke over the radio. Mercedes noted a "massive surge" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli after the Grand Prix. 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 Carlos Sainz and had a "massive moment" that caused him to go off track and lose the position. "It was really hard with the turbulence 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 expressed regret for radio remarks made by a staff member. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by severe online abuse 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.