The Red Bull team Voices Remorse Regarding Comments Following Death Threats Against Driver Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull Formula 1 team has issued a statement expressing its sincere regret for comments made that were followed by widespread social media vitriol, including death threats, directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli was said to have switched his Instagram profile to a blank image on Monday, a response to the hurtful messages that flooded his accounts. His team confirmed that several of these messages constituted direct threats against the driver's life.

The controversy stems from radio communications during the closing stages of the recent race. Red Bull engineer Gianpiero Lambiase suggested over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "deliberately moved aside" to allow McLaren's Lando Norris to pass.

This occurrence proved crucial for the title fight, as the overtake secured two additional points. This increased the Briton's points advantage over Verstappen to 12 points ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

In its official communication, Red Bull clarified: "Comments made implying that Kimi Antonelli had intentionally let Lando Norris past are factually wrong. Video evidence shows Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thereby enabling Norris to pass him. We sincerely regret that this has resulted in Kimi being subjected to such abuse."

The team's announcement stopped short of a formal apology for the initial accusation. However, sources indicate that Lambiase subsequently apologised to Toto Wolff after reviewing video evidence of the incident.

"This is complete and utter rubbish. That blows my mind even to hear that," said Wolff. "We are fighting for P2 in the constructors' championship... How foolish can you be to even say something like this?"

Wolff explained that he had spoken with Lambiase, who claimed he did not witness the moment when he made the comment. Mercedes reported a "massive surge" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli following the race.

For his part, Antonelli explained the moment as a error. He commented he was driving aggressively to catch the Williams ahead and experienced a "massive moment" that led him to go off track and surrender fourth place.

"It proved really hard with the dirty air and the high tyre temperatures," Antonelli remarked. "It's disappointing to lose the place because it would have been additional points."

Key Points from the Incident

• Red Bull has voiced remorse for comments 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 replays confirm Antonelli made a mistake, debunking the implication of team orders.
• The engineer involved has expressed regret to Mercedes team leadership.