The Red Bull team Voices Remorse Regarding Comments Following Death Threats Against Driver Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull racing outfit has issued a statement expressing its sincere regret for comments made that preceded widespread social media vitriol, 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 reaction to the abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. His team stated that a number of these messages constituted direct threats against the youngster's life.

The situation originated with radio communications during the final laps of the Qatar Grand Prix. Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase remarked over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "deliberately moved aside" to allow rival driver Lando Norris through.

This incident proved crucial for the championship battle, as Norris's pass earned him two additional points. This increased the McLaren driver's championship lead over Verstappen to 12 points ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

In its official communication, Red Bull clarified: "Comments voiced suggesting that Mercedes driver had deliberately allowed Lando Norris past are clearly incorrect. Video evidence shows Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thereby allowing Norris to pass him. 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 said sorry to Mercedes team principal after being shown video evidence of the incident.

"This is complete and utter rubbish. That blows my mind even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are battling for P2 in the team standings... How foolish 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 made the comment. The team noted a "massive surge" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli following the Grand Prix.

For his part, Antonelli explained the racing incident as a error. He commented 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. "A shame to lose the place because it would have been two more points."

Main Takeaways from the Incident

• Red Bull has voiced remorse for comments made by a team member.
• Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli received death threats in the wake of those comments.
• The disputed comment centered on an overtaking move that impacted the title battle.
• Video replays show Antonelli made a mistake, contradicting the suggestion of deliberate action.
• The engineer involved has apologised to Mercedes team leadership.