🔗 Share this article The Red Bull team Voices Remorse Over Remarks Following Death Threats Against Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli Max Verstappen's victory in Qatar sets up a thrilling season finale. The Red Bull Formula 1 team has released a comment stating its deep remorse for post-race remarks that preceded a torrent of social media vitriol, including death threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli reportedly changed his social media picture to a solid black image on Monday, a response to the abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. His team stated that several of these communications constituted threats against the youngster's life. The situation originated with radio communications during the closing stages of the Qatar Grand Prix. Max Verstappen's race engineer suggested over the air that it "appeared as if" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to allow McLaren's Lando Norris to pass. This occurrence proved significant for the championship battle, as Norris's pass earned him extra points. This increased the McLaren driver's championship lead over Verstappen to a dozen points heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi. In its statement, Red Bull clarified: "Comments made suggesting that Kimi Antonelli had intentionally let Lando Norris past are clearly incorrect. Replay footage shows Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thereby enabling Norris to pass him. We deeply regret that this has resulted in Kimi being subjected to online abuse." The team's announcement did not include a formal apology for the original claim. However, reports indicate that Lambiase subsequently apologised to Toto Wolff after reviewing footage of the incident. "This is complete and utter rubbish. That blows my mind even to hear that," stated Wolff. "We are battling for P2 in the team standings... How foolish 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. Mercedes reported a "massive surge" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli following the race. Kimi Antonelli finished fifth at the demanding Qatar Grand Prix. For his part, Antonelli explained the moment as a error. He commented he was pushing hard to catch the Williams ahead and experienced a "massive moment" that caused him to run wide 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 Situation Red Bull has voiced remorse for comments made by a team member. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli received death threats in the aftermath of those comments. The controversial remark involved an on-track pass that affected the championship standings. Video replays confirm Antonelli made a mistake, debunking the suggestion of deliberate action. The individual in question has expressed regret to Mercedes management.
Max Verstappen's victory in Qatar sets up a thrilling season finale. The Red Bull Formula 1 team has released a comment stating its deep remorse for post-race remarks that preceded a torrent of social media vitriol, including death threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli reportedly changed his social media picture to a solid black image on Monday, a response to the abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. His team stated that several of these communications constituted threats against the youngster's life. The situation originated with radio communications during the closing stages of the Qatar Grand Prix. Max Verstappen's race engineer suggested over the air that it "appeared as if" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to allow McLaren's Lando Norris to pass. This occurrence proved significant for the championship battle, as Norris's pass earned him extra points. This increased the McLaren driver's championship lead over Verstappen to a dozen points heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi. In its statement, Red Bull clarified: "Comments made suggesting that Kimi Antonelli had intentionally let Lando Norris past are clearly incorrect. Replay footage shows Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thereby enabling Norris to pass him. We deeply regret that this has resulted in Kimi being subjected to online abuse." The team's announcement did not include a formal apology for the original claim. However, reports indicate that Lambiase subsequently apologised to Toto Wolff after reviewing footage of the incident. "This is complete and utter rubbish. That blows my mind even to hear that," stated Wolff. "We are battling for P2 in the team standings... How foolish 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. Mercedes reported a "massive surge" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli following the race. Kimi Antonelli finished fifth at the demanding Qatar Grand Prix. For his part, Antonelli explained the moment as a error. He commented he was pushing hard to catch the Williams ahead and experienced a "massive moment" that caused him to run wide 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 Situation Red Bull has voiced remorse for comments made by a team member. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli received death threats in the aftermath of those comments. The controversial remark involved an on-track pass that affected the championship standings. Video replays confirm Antonelli made a mistake, debunking the suggestion of deliberate action. The individual in question has expressed regret to Mercedes management.