The Red Bull team Expresses Regret Over Comments Following Online Abuse Against Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull racing outfit has issued a statement expressing its deep remorse for post-race remarks 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 solid black image on Monday, a reaction to the hurtful messages that flooded his accounts. His team confirmed that several of these messages included threats against the driver's life.

The controversy originated with team radio 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 "deliberately moved aside" to allow rival driver Lando Norris to pass.

This occurrence proved crucial for the championship battle, as the overtake secured extra points. This extended the McLaren driver's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

In its statement, Red Bull asserted: "Comments made suggesting that Mercedes driver had deliberately allowed Lando Norris past are clearly incorrect. Video evidence demonstrates Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thus enabling Norris to get by. We sincerely regret that this has resulted in Kimi being subjected to online abuse."

The team's announcement stopped short of a direct apology for the original claim. However, reports indicate that Lambiase subsequently said sorry to Toto Wolff after being shown footage of the incident.

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

Wolff added that he had spoken with Lambiase, who claimed he had not seen the actual incident when he spoke over the radio. The team reported a "massive surge" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli following the race.

For his part, Antonelli explained the racing incident as a error. He said he was pushing hard to close on the Williams ahead and had a "massive moment" that led him to run wide and lose the position.

"It proved really hard with the dirty air and the tyres were overheating," 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 severe online abuse in the aftermath of those comments.
• The disputed comment centered on an on-track pass that impacted the championship standings.
• Video replays confirm Antonelli lost control, debunking the implication of team orders.
• The individual in question has apologised to Mercedes team leadership.