The Red Bull team Voices Remorse Regarding Remarks Linked to Death Threats Targeting Driver Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull Formula 1 team has issued a statement expressing its deep remorse for comments made that were followed by a torrent of social media vitriol, including vile threats, directed at young talent Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli was said to have changed his social media picture to a solid black image on Monday, a response to the abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. His team stated that several of these communications constituted threats against the driver's life.

The situation originated with team radio during the final laps of the recent race. Max Verstappen's race engineer suggested over the air that it "appeared as if" Antonelli had "deliberately moved aside" to let rival driver Lando Norris through.

This incident proved significant for the championship battle, as Norris's pass secured extra points. This increased the McLaren driver's points advantage over Verstappen to a dozen points heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

In its official communication, Red Bull clarified: "Comments voiced suggesting that Kimi Antonelli had intentionally let Lando Norris to overtake are clearly incorrect. Replay footage shows Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thus allowing Norris to pass him. We sincerely regret that this has led to Kimi being subjected to online abuse."

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

"This is complete and utter rubbish. That blows my mind even to hear that," stated Wolff. "We are battling for second place in the constructors' championship... How foolish can you be to even suggest something like this?"

Wolff explained that he had spoken with Lambiase, who stated he had not seen the actual incident when he spoke over the radio. The team reported a "1,100% increase" in abusive messages targeting Antonelli after the Grand Prix.

For his part, Antonelli explained the moment as a error. He said he was pushing hard to catch the Williams ahead and experienced a "massive moment" that caused him to go off track and lose the position.

"It was really hard with the dirty air and the high tyre temperatures," the driver stated. "It's disappointing to lose the place because it would have been two more points."

Key Points from the Situation

• Red Bull has voiced remorse for comments made by a team member.
• Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli received death threats in the aftermath of those comments.
• The controversial remark involved an on-track pass that affected the championship standings.
• Video evidence show Antonelli made a mistake, contradicting the implication of deliberate action.
• The individual in question has expressed regret to Mercedes management.