The Red Bull team Expresses Regret Regarding Comments Linked to Death Threats Against Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull Formula 1 team has issued a statement expressing its sincere regret for comments made that were followed by a torrent of online abuse, including death threats, directed at young talent Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli reportedly switched his Instagram profile to a blank image on Monday, a reaction to the abusive comments that flooded his accounts. His team confirmed that several of these communications included threats against the youngster's life.

The controversy stems from radio communications during the final laps of the Qatar Grand Prix. Max Verstappen's race engineer suggested over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to let McLaren's Lando Norris to pass.

This incident proved crucial for the title fight, as Norris's pass earned him extra points. This increased the Briton's championship lead over Verstappen to 12 points heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

In its official communication, Red Bull clarified: "Comments voiced implying that Mercedes driver had intentionally let Lando Norris past are clearly incorrect. Video evidence demonstrates Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thereby allowing Norris to pass him. We sincerely regret that this has resulted in Kimi being subjected to such abuse."

The team's statement did not include a formal apology for the initial accusation. However, reports indicate that Lambiase subsequently apologised to Toto Wolff after being shown video evidence of the on-track moment.

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

Wolff added that he had spoken with Lambiase, who stated he had not seen the actual incident when he made the comment. Mercedes reported a "massive surge" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli after the race.

For his part, Antonelli explained the moment as a simple mistake. He said he was pushing hard to close on the Williams ahead and had a "massive moment" that led him to go off track and lose the position.

"It was 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 expressed regret for comments made by a staff member.
• Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli received severe online abuse in the wake of those comments.
• The disputed comment centered on an on-track pass that affected the title battle.
• Video replays show Antonelli lost control, contradicting the suggestion of team orders.
• The individual in question has apologised to Mercedes management.