The Red Bull team Expresses Remorse Over Remarks Following Death Threats Targeting Driver Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull racing outfit has issued a statement expressing its deep remorse for comments made that preceded widespread online abuse, 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 hurtful messages that appeared on his accounts. His team stated that several of these communications included threats against the youngster's life.

The controversy originated with team radio during the final laps of the Qatar Grand Prix. Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase suggested over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to let McLaren's Lando Norris through.

This occurrence proved crucial for the championship battle, as Norris's pass secured extra points. This extended the Briton's championship lead over Verstappen to 12 points heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

In its statement, Red Bull clarified: "Observations made implying that Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake are factually wrong. Video evidence shows Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thereby allowing Norris to get by. We sincerely regret that this has led to Kimi being subjected to online abuse."

The team's statement did not include a direct apology for the initial accusation. However, reports indicate that Lambiase subsequently said sorry to Toto Wolff after being shown video evidence of the incident.

"This is total, utter nonsense. That astounds me even to hear that," stated Wolff. "We are fighting for second place in the team standings... How foolish can you be to even suggest something like this?"

Wolff explained that he had spoken with Lambiase, who claimed he did not witness the actual incident when he made the comment. Mercedes reported a "massive surge" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli following the Grand Prix.

For his part, Antonelli described the moment as a simple mistake. He commented he was driving aggressively to catch Carlos Sainz 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. "A shame to lose the place because it would have been additional points."

Main Takeaways from the Incident

• Red Bull has expressed regret for radio remarks made by a staff member.
• Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli received severe online abuse in the aftermath of those comments.
• The controversial remark centered on an on-track pass that affected the title battle.
• Video replays show Antonelli lost control, debunking the implication of team orders.
• The engineer involved has expressed regret to Mercedes management.