The Red Bull team Expresses Remorse Regarding Comments Following Death Threats Against Driver Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull racing outfit has released a comment stating its deep remorse for comments made that preceded widespread social media vitriol, including vile threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli was said to have switched his Instagram profile to a solid black image on Monday, a reaction to the abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. His team stated that several of these communications included direct threats against the youngster's life.

The situation stems from radio communications during the closing stages of the Qatar Grand Prix. Max Verstappen's race engineer suggested over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "deliberately moved aside" to allow rival driver Lando Norris through.

This occurrence proved significant for the championship battle, as the overtake earned him extra points. This extended the McLaren driver's championship lead over Verstappen to 12 points heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

In its statement, Red Bull asserted: "Comments made suggesting that Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake are factually wrong. Video evidence demonstrates Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thereby enabling Norris to pass him. We sincerely regret that this has resulted in Kimi receiving online abuse."

The team's statement stopped short of a direct apology for the original claim. However, reports indicate that Lambiase later said sorry to Mercedes team principal after being shown video evidence of the on-track moment.

"This is total, utter nonsense. That blows my mind even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are fighting 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 stated he had not seen the moment when he spoke over the radio. Mercedes reported a "massive surge" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli after the race.

For his part, Antonelli explained the racing incident as a error. He commented he was pushing hard to close on the Williams ahead and experienced a "massive moment" that caused him to go off track and surrender fourth place.

"It was really hard with the turbulence and the tyres were overheating," Antonelli remarked. "It's disappointing to lose the place because it would have been additional points."

Key Points from the Situation

• Red Bull has expressed regret for radio remarks made by a staff member.
• Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by severe online abuse in the aftermath of those comments.
• The controversial remark involved an overtaking move that affected the title battle.
• Video evidence show Antonelli lost control, debunking the implication of team orders.
• The engineer involved has apologised to Mercedes team leadership.