The Red Bull team Voices Regret Over Remarks Following Death Threats Against Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli
The Red Bull Formula 1 team has released a comment stating its sincere regret for post-race remarks that were followed by a torrent of online abuse, including vile threats, directed at young talent Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli reportedly switched his social media picture to a solid black image on Monday, a reaction to the hurtful messages that appeared on his accounts. His team stated that a number of these communications included direct threats against the youngster's life.
The situation originated with radio communications during the closing stages of the recent race. Max Verstappen's race engineer suggested over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to allow rival driver Lando Norris to pass.
This incident proved crucial for the championship battle, as the overtake secured extra points. This extended the Briton's points advantage over Verstappen to 12 points ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
In its official communication, Red Bull asserted: "Observations made suggesting that Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris past are clearly incorrect. Video evidence demonstrates Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thus enabling Norris to get by. We deeply regret that this has led to Kimi being subjected to online abuse."
The team's statement stopped short of a direct apology for the initial accusation. However, sources indicate that Lambiase later apologised to Toto Wolff after reviewing footage of the incident.
"This is total, utter nonsense. That astounds me even to hear that," stated Wolff. "We are fighting for second place in the constructors' championship... How foolish can you be to even suggest something like this?"
Wolff explained that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who stated he had not seen the moment when he spoke over the radio. Mercedes reported a "massive surge" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli following the race.
For his part, Antonelli explained the racing incident as a error. He said he was pushing hard to close on the Williams ahead and experienced a "big snap" that caused him to go off track and surrender fourth place.
"It proved really hard with the dirty air and the high tyre temperatures," 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 voiced remorse for comments made by a team member.
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by death threats in the aftermath of those comments.
- The disputed comment involved an overtaking move that affected the title battle.
- Video replays show Antonelli lost control, debunking the implication of deliberate action.
- The individual in question has expressed regret to Mercedes management.
