The Red Bull team Voices Remorse Over Comments Following Online Abuse Targeting Driver Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull Formula 1 team has released a comment stating its sincere regret for comments made that were followed by widespread social media vitriol, including death threats, directed at young talent Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli reportedly switched his social media picture to a blank image on Monday, a reaction to the abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. Mercedes stated that a number of these messages included direct threats against the youngster's life.

The controversy stems from radio communications during the final laps of the Qatar Grand Prix. Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase suggested over the air that it "appeared as if" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to allow rival driver Lando Norris to pass.

This occurrence proved significant for the championship battle, as Norris's pass earned him extra points. This increased the Briton's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

In its statement, Red Bull clarified: "Observations made implying that Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake are factually wrong. Replay footage shows Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thus enabling Norris to pass him. We deeply regret that this has resulted in Kimi being subjected to such abuse."

The team's announcement stopped short of a direct apology for the original claim. However, reports indicate that Lambiase later apologised to Mercedes team principal after reviewing footage 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 cleared the air with Lambiase, who stated he did not witness the actual incident when he spoke over the radio. The team reported a "massive surge" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli following the Grand Prix.

For his part, Antonelli described the racing incident as a error. He commented he was pushing hard to close on the Williams ahead and had a "massive moment" that caused him to run wide and lose the position.

"It proved really hard with the dirty air and the high tyre temperatures," Antonelli remarked. "It's disappointing to lose the place because it would have been additional points."

Main Takeaways from the Incident

• Red Bull has expressed regret 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 centered on an overtaking move that impacted the title battle.
• Video replays confirm Antonelli made a mistake, contradicting the suggestion of deliberate action.
• The engineer involved has apologised to Mercedes team leadership.