Red Bull Expresses Regret Over Comments Following Online Abuse Targeting Driver Kimi Antonelli
The Red Bull racing outfit has issued a statement stating its sincere regret for post-race remarks that preceded widespread online abuse, including death threats, directed at young talent Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli reportedly changed his Instagram profile to a blank image on Monday, a reaction to the abusive comments that flooded his accounts. His team confirmed that a number of these communications included threats against the youngster's life.
The situation stems from team radio during the final laps 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 through.
This incident proved significant for the championship battle, as Norris's pass earned him extra points. This extended the McLaren driver's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
In its official communication, Red Bull asserted: "Comments voiced suggesting that Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake are clearly incorrect. Video evidence shows Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thus allowing Norris to get by. We sincerely regret that this has resulted in Kimi receiving such abuse."
The team's statement stopped short of a formal apology for the initial accusation. However, reports indicate that Lambiase subsequently said sorry to Toto Wolff after being shown video evidence of the incident.
"This is complete and utter rubbish. That astounds me even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are fighting for P2 in the constructors' championship... How brainless 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 spoke over the radio. The team reported a "1,100% increase" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli following the Grand Prix.
For his part, Antonelli described the moment as a error. He said he was pushing hard to catch the Williams ahead and experienced a "massive moment" that led him to go off track and lose the position.
"It was 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."
Key Points from the Incident
- Red Bull has expressed regret for comments made by a staff member.
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by death threats in the aftermath of those comments.
- The disputed comment centered on an on-track pass that impacted the championship standings.
- Video evidence show Antonelli lost control, debunking the implication of deliberate action.
- The engineer involved has apologised to Mercedes team leadership.
