The Red Bull team Expresses Regret Regarding Comments Following Death Threats Targeting Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull Formula 1 team has released a comment stating its deep remorse for comments made that were followed by widespread online abuse, including death threats, directed at young talent 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 flooded his accounts. Mercedes stated that several of these messages constituted direct threats against the youngster's life.

The situation 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 "just pulled over" to allow McLaren's Lando Norris to pass.

This incident proved significant for the championship battle, as the overtake earned him extra points. This extended the McLaren driver's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points ahead of the final race in Abu Dhabi.

In its official communication, Red Bull asserted: "Comments voiced implying that Mercedes driver had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake are clearly incorrect. Replay footage demonstrates Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thereby allowing Norris to get by. We deeply regret that this has led to Kimi being subjected to online abuse."

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

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

Wolff added that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who stated he did not witness the actual incident when he spoke over the radio. The team reported a "1,100% increase" 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 Carlos Sainz and experienced a "big snap" that caused him to go off track and surrender fourth place.

"It proved really hard with the dirty air and the high tyre temperatures," the driver stated. "A shame to lose the place because it would have been additional points."

Main Takeaways 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 disputed comment centered on an on-track pass that impacted the championship standings.
• Video replays show Antonelli lost control, debunking the implication of deliberate action.
• The individual in question has apologised to Mercedes team leadership.