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 stating its sincere regret for comments made that preceded a torrent of social media vitriol, including death threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli was said to have changed his Instagram profile to a solid black image on Monday, a reaction to the hurtful messages that flooded his accounts. Mercedes stated that a number of these messages included threats against the driver's life.

The controversy stems from team radio during the closing stages of the recent race. Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase suggested over the air that it "appeared as if" Antonelli had "deliberately moved aside" to allow rival driver Lando Norris to pass.

This incident proved significant for the title fight, as Norris's pass earned him two additional points. This extended the Briton's points advantage over Verstappen to 12 points heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi.

In its official communication, Red Bull clarified: "Comments made suggesting that Mercedes driver had intentionally let Lando Norris to overtake are factually wrong. Replay footage shows Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thus enabling Norris to pass him. We sincerely regret that this has resulted in Kimi being subjected to such abuse."

The team's announcement did not include a direct apology for the original claim. However, sources indicate that Lambiase later apologised to Toto Wolff 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 second place in the team standings... How foolish can you be to even suggest something like this?"

Wolff explained that he had spoken with Lambiase, who stated he did not witness the actual incident when he spoke over the radio. The team noted a "massive surge" 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 pushing hard to catch 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," the driver stated. "A shame to lose the place because it would have been two more points."

Main Takeaways from the Incident

• Red Bull has expressed regret for comments made by a team member.
• Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was targeted by death threats in the wake of those comments.
• The controversial remark centered on an on-track pass that affected the title battle.
• Video evidence confirm Antonelli lost control, debunking the suggestion of deliberate action.
• The engineer involved has expressed regret to Mercedes team leadership.