The Red Bull team Voices Remorse Regarding Remarks Following Death Threats Against Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull racing outfit has issued a statement expressing its sincere regret for comments made that preceded widespread social media vitriol, 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 response to the hurtful messages that appeared on his accounts. His team stated that a number of these communications constituted direct threats against the youngster's life.

The situation stems from team radio during the final laps of the Qatar Grand Prix. Max Verstappen's race engineer remarked over the air that it "appeared as if" Antonelli had "deliberately moved aside" to let McLaren's Lando Norris to pass.

This incident proved significant for the title fight, as Norris's pass earned him extra points. This extended the McLaren driver's points advantage over Verstappen to 12 points ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

In its official communication, Red Bull asserted: "Comments made implying that Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake are factually wrong. Replay footage demonstrates Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thus allowing Norris to get by. We deeply regret that this has resulted in Kimi being subjected to such abuse."

The team's statement stopped short of a formal apology for the initial accusation. However, reports indicate that Lambiase later apologised to Mercedes team principal after being shown video evidence of the on-track moment.

"This is complete and utter rubbish. That astounds me even to hear that," stated Wolff. "We are fighting for P2 in the team standings... How brainless can you be to even suggest something like this?"

Wolff explained that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who stated he had not seen the moment when he made the comment. Mercedes reported a "1,100% increase" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli following the Grand Prix.

For his part, Antonelli described the racing incident as a simple mistake. He said he was driving aggressively to catch Carlos Sainz and had a "big snap" that led him to run wide and lose the position.

"It proved really hard with the dirty air and the tyres were overheating," the driver stated. "A shame to lose the place because it would have been two more points."

Main Takeaways from the Situation

• Red Bull has voiced remorse for radio remarks made by a staff member.
• Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by severe online abuse in the wake of those comments.
• The controversial remark involved an on-track pass that impacted the championship standings.
• Video replays confirm Antonelli lost control, debunking the suggestion of deliberate action.
• The individual in question has expressed regret to Mercedes team leadership.