Red Bull Expresses Remorse Over Remarks Linked to Online Abuse Targeting Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull Formula 1 team has released a comment expressing its sincere regret for post-race remarks that preceded widespread social media vitriol, including vile threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli was said to have changed his Instagram profile to a solid black image on Monday, a response to the abusive comments that flooded his accounts. His team stated that a number of these communications included threats against the youngster's life.

The controversy originated with team radio during the final laps of the recent race. Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase remarked over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to allow rival driver Lando Norris to pass.

This occurrence proved crucial for the championship battle, as the overtake secured extra points. This extended the McLaren driver's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points ahead of the final race in Abu Dhabi.

In its official communication, Red Bull asserted: "Observations voiced implying that Mercedes driver had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake are factually wrong. Replay footage demonstrates Antonelli briefly 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 announcement stopped short of a formal apology for the initial accusation. However, reports indicate that Lambiase later apologised to Mercedes team principal after being shown video evidence of the on-track moment.

"This is complete and utter rubbish. That astounds me even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are fighting for second place in the team standings... How brainless can you be to even suggest something like this?"

Wolff added that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who claimed he had not seen the actual incident when he made the comment. The team reported a "1,100% increase" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli after the race.

For his part, Antonelli described the moment as a error. He commented he was driving aggressively to close on the Williams ahead and experienced a "massive moment" that caused him to run wide and lose the position.

"It proved really hard with the turbulence 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 staff member.
• Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by death threats in the wake of those comments.
• The disputed comment involved an on-track pass that impacted the championship standings.
• Video evidence show Antonelli lost control, debunking the implication of deliberate action.
• The individual in question has expressed regret to Mercedes team leadership.