The Red Bull team Expresses Remorse Regarding Comments Following Online Abuse Against Driver Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull racing outfit has released a comment stating its deep remorse for post-race remarks that preceded widespread social media vitriol, including death threats, directed at young talent Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli was said to have switched his social media picture to a blank image on Monday, a reaction to the hurtful messages that flooded his accounts. His team confirmed that a number of these communications constituted threats against the driver's life.

The situation stems from radio communications during the closing stages of the recent race. 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 through.

This incident proved crucial for the title fight, as the overtake secured two additional points. This increased the McLaren driver's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi.

In its statement, Red Bull clarified: "Comments made implying that Mercedes driver had intentionally let Lando Norris to overtake are clearly incorrect. Video evidence demonstrates Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thus allowing Norris to get by. We sincerely regret that this has resulted in Kimi being subjected to online abuse."

The team's announcement did not include a direct apology for the original claim. However, sources indicate that Lambiase subsequently said sorry to Mercedes team principal after being shown video evidence of the on-track moment.

"This is total, utter nonsense. That astounds me even to hear that," stated Wolff. "We are battling for P2 in the constructors' championship... How brainless can you be to even say something like this?"

Wolff explained that he had spoken with Lambiase, who claimed he did not witness the moment when he made the comment. The team reported a "massive surge" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli after the race.

For his part, Antonelli described the racing incident as a simple mistake. He commented he was pushing hard to close on the Williams ahead and had a "massive moment" that led him to go off track and surrender fourth place.

"It proved really hard with the turbulence and the high tyre temperatures," Antonelli remarked. "It's disappointing 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 staff member.
• Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by severe online abuse in the wake of those comments.
• The disputed comment involved an on-track pass that affected the championship standings.
• Video evidence show Antonelli lost control, contradicting the implication of deliberate action.
• The individual in question has expressed regret to Mercedes management.