🔗 Share this article The Red Bull team Expresses Regret Over Comments Linked to Death Threats Against Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli Max Verstappen's victory in Qatar sets up a dramatic championship decider. The Red Bull racing outfit has issued a statement stating its sincere regret for comments made that preceded widespread online abuse, including vile threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli was said to have switched his Instagram profile to a solid black image on Monday, a response to the hurtful messages that appeared on his accounts. Mercedes stated that several of these communications constituted threats against the driver's life. The situation originated with radio communications during the final laps of the Qatar Grand Prix. Max Verstappen's race engineer remarked over the air that it "appeared as if" Antonelli had "deliberately moved aside" to let rival driver Lando Norris through. This occurrence proved significant for the title fight, as Norris's pass earned him extra points. This increased the McLaren driver's points advantage over Verstappen to 12 points heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi. In its statement, Red Bull asserted: "Comments made implying that Mercedes driver had deliberately allowed Lando Norris past are clearly incorrect. Replay footage demonstrates Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thereby allowing Norris to pass him. 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, sources indicate that Lambiase later said sorry to Mercedes team principal after reviewing footage of the on-track moment. "This is complete and utter rubbish. That blows my mind even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are battling for second place in the constructors' championship... How foolish can you be to even suggest something like this?" Wolff added that he had spoken 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 after the Grand Prix. Kimi Antonelli secured a P5 finish at the challenging Qatar Grand Prix. For his part, Antonelli described the moment as a error. He said he was pushing hard to close on Carlos Sainz and experienced a "massive moment" that led him to run wide 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 additional points." Key Points from the Situation Red Bull has voiced remorse for radio remarks made by a team member. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli received severe online abuse in the wake of those comments. The controversial remark involved an overtaking move that impacted the title battle. Video replays confirm Antonelli lost control, contradicting the implication of team orders. The engineer involved has apologised to Mercedes management.
Max Verstappen's victory in Qatar sets up a dramatic championship decider. The Red Bull racing outfit has issued a statement stating its sincere regret for comments made that preceded widespread online abuse, including vile threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli was said to have switched his Instagram profile to a solid black image on Monday, a response to the hurtful messages that appeared on his accounts. Mercedes stated that several of these communications constituted threats against the driver's life. The situation originated with radio communications during the final laps of the Qatar Grand Prix. Max Verstappen's race engineer remarked over the air that it "appeared as if" Antonelli had "deliberately moved aside" to let rival driver Lando Norris through. This occurrence proved significant for the title fight, as Norris's pass earned him extra points. This increased the McLaren driver's points advantage over Verstappen to 12 points heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi. In its statement, Red Bull asserted: "Comments made implying that Mercedes driver had deliberately allowed Lando Norris past are clearly incorrect. Replay footage demonstrates Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thereby allowing Norris to pass him. 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, sources indicate that Lambiase later said sorry to Mercedes team principal after reviewing footage of the on-track moment. "This is complete and utter rubbish. That blows my mind even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are battling for second place in the constructors' championship... How foolish can you be to even suggest something like this?" Wolff added that he had spoken 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 after the Grand Prix. Kimi Antonelli secured a P5 finish at the challenging Qatar Grand Prix. For his part, Antonelli described the moment as a error. He said he was pushing hard to close on Carlos Sainz and experienced a "massive moment" that led him to run wide 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 additional points." Key Points from the Situation Red Bull has voiced remorse for radio remarks made by a team member. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli received severe online abuse in the wake of those comments. The controversial remark involved an overtaking move that impacted the title battle. Video replays confirm Antonelli lost control, contradicting the implication of team orders. The engineer involved has apologised to Mercedes management.