The Red Bull team Expresses Regret Over Comments Following Death Threats Targeting Driver Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull racing outfit has released a comment expressing its sincere regret for post-race remarks that preceded widespread online abuse, including vile threats, directed at young talent Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli was said to have switched his social media picture to a solid black image on Monday, a reaction to the abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. Mercedes confirmed that several of these messages constituted direct threats against the youngster's life.

The controversy originated with radio communications during the final laps of the Qatar Grand Prix. Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase remarked over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "deliberately moved aside" to allow rival driver Lando Norris to pass.

This incident proved crucial for the championship battle, as the overtake secured extra points. This extended the McLaren driver's points advantage over Verstappen to 12 points heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

In its statement, Red Bull clarified: "Observations voiced implying that Mercedes driver had deliberately allowed Lando Norris past are clearly incorrect. Video evidence demonstrates Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thereby enabling Norris to pass him. We deeply regret that this has led to Kimi being subjected to such abuse."

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

"This is complete and utter rubbish. That blows my mind even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are battling for P2 in the team standings... How foolish 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. The team reported a "massive surge" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli following the race.

For his part, Antonelli explained the moment as a error. He said he was driving aggressively to close on Carlos Sainz and experienced a "massive moment" that led him to run wide and surrender fourth place.

"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 additional 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 wake of those comments.
• The disputed comment centered on an overtaking move 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 management.