Red Bull Expresses Remorse Regarding Comments Linked to Online Abuse Against Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull Formula 1 team has released a comment expressing its deep remorse for comments made that preceded a torrent of online abuse, including death threats, directed at young talent Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli reportedly changed his Instagram profile to a solid black image on Monday, a response to the abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. Mercedes stated that a number of these communications included threats against the driver's life.

The situation originated with radio communications 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 significant for the championship battle, as the overtake secured extra points. This extended the Briton's points advantage over Verstappen to 12 points heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

In its official communication, Red Bull clarified: "Observations voiced implying that Mercedes driver had intentionally let Lando Norris past are factually wrong. Video evidence demonstrates Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thus allowing Norris to get by. We deeply regret that this has led to Kimi being subjected to online abuse."

The team's statement stopped short of a formal apology for the original claim. However, reports indicate that Lambiase subsequently said sorry to Mercedes team principal after reviewing video evidence of the incident.

"This is total, utter nonsense. That astounds me even to hear that," stated Wolff. "We are battling for P2 in the team standings... 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 noted a "massive surge" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli after the race.

For his part, Antonelli described the moment as a error. He said he was driving aggressively to catch the Williams ahead and had a "big snap" that led him to go off track and surrender fourth place.

"It proved really hard with the dirty air and the high tyre temperatures," Antonelli remarked. "It's disappointing to lose the place because it would have been additional points."

Key Points from the Incident

• Red Bull has voiced remorse for comments 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 championship standings.
• Video replays confirm Antonelli lost control, contradicting the suggestion of deliberate action.
• The engineer involved has expressed regret to Mercedes team leadership.