The Red Bull team Expresses Regret Over Remarks Linked to Online Abuse Targeting Driver Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull Formula 1 team has released a comment expressing its deep remorse for post-race remarks that preceded widespread social media vitriol, including death threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli was said to have switched his Instagram profile to a blank image on Monday, a reaction to the abusive comments that flooded his accounts. His team stated that a number of these messages constituted threats against the driver's life.

The situation originated with radio communications during the closing stages of the recent race. Max Verstappen's race engineer remarked over the air that it "appeared as if" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to let rival driver Lando Norris through.

This occurrence proved crucial for the championship battle, as Norris's pass earned him extra points. This extended the Briton's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

In its statement, Red Bull asserted: "Observations voiced implying that Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris past are factually wrong. Replay footage shows Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thus enabling Norris to pass him. We sincerely regret that this has led to Kimi receiving online abuse."

The team's announcement did not include a formal apology for the initial accusation. However, reports indicate that Lambiase later said sorry to Toto Wolff after reviewing video evidence of the on-track moment.

"This is total, utter nonsense. That blows my mind even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are battling for second place in the constructors' championship... How foolish can you be to even say 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 Grand Prix.

For his part, Antonelli explained the racing incident as a simple mistake. He said he was pushing hard to catch Carlos Sainz and had a "big snap" that led him to go off track and lose the position.

"It was really hard with the turbulence 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 Incident

• Red Bull has expressed regret for radio remarks made by a team member.
• Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by death threats in the wake of those comments.
• The disputed comment centered on an overtaking move that affected the championship standings.
• Video replays confirm Antonelli made a mistake, debunking the implication of deliberate action.
• The engineer involved has expressed regret to Mercedes team leadership.