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

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

Antonelli reportedly switched his social media picture to a blank image on Monday, a response to the abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. His team stated that a number of these messages constituted direct threats against the youngster's life.

The situation stems from radio communications during the final laps of the recent race. Max Verstappen's race engineer remarked over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "just pulled over" to allow McLaren's Lando Norris to pass.

This incident proved significant for the championship battle, as Norris's pass secured extra points. This extended the Briton's championship lead over Verstappen to a dozen points ahead of the final race in Abu Dhabi.

In its statement, Red Bull asserted: "Observations voiced implying that Kimi Antonelli had intentionally let Lando Norris past are clearly incorrect. Replay footage demonstrates Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thus enabling Norris to get by. We sincerely regret that this has led to Kimi being subjected to such abuse."

The team's announcement stopped short of a formal apology for the initial accusation. However, sources indicate that Lambiase later apologised to Toto Wolff after being shown footage of the incident.

"This is complete and utter rubbish. That astounds me even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are fighting for second place in the constructors' championship... How brainless can you be to even suggest something like this?"

Wolff explained that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who claimed he had not seen the moment when he spoke over the radio. Mercedes noted a "massive surge" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli after the Grand Prix.

For his part, Antonelli explained the racing incident as a error. He commented he was driving aggressively to close on the Williams ahead and had a "massive moment" that caused him to go off track and lose the position.

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

Main Takeaways 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 aftermath of those comments.
• The controversial remark centered on an on-track pass that impacted the title battle.
• Video evidence confirm Antonelli made a mistake, contradicting the implication of deliberate action.
• The individual in question has expressed regret to Mercedes team leadership.