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

The Red Bull racing outfit has released a comment expressing its sincere regret for post-race remarks that were followed by a torrent of social media vitriol, including death threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli was said to have changed his social media picture to a solid black image on Monday, a reaction to the hurtful messages that flooded his accounts. Mercedes confirmed that a number of these messages constituted threats against the youngster's life.

The controversy originated with radio communications during the final laps of the recent race. Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase suggested over the air that it "appeared as if" Antonelli had "deliberately moved aside" to let McLaren's Lando Norris through.

This incident proved crucial for the championship battle, as Norris's pass earned him extra points. This extended the McLaren driver's championship lead over Verstappen to 12 points ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

In its statement, Red Bull asserted: "Comments voiced suggesting that Kimi Antonelli had intentionally let Lando Norris past are factually wrong. Video evidence demonstrates Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thereby allowing Norris to pass him. We sincerely regret that this has led to 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 said sorry to Mercedes team principal after reviewing 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 explained that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who claimed 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 race.

For his part, Antonelli explained the racing incident as a error. He commented he was driving aggressively to catch Carlos Sainz and experienced a "big snap" that caused him to run wide and surrender fourth place.

"It proved really hard with the turbulence and the tyres were overheating," Antonelli remarked. "A shame 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 staff member.
• Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by death threats in the wake of those comments.
• The controversial remark involved an on-track pass that impacted the championship standings.
• Video evidence show Antonelli lost control, debunking the implication of team orders.
• The engineer involved has expressed regret to Mercedes team leadership.