The Red Bull team Voices Regret Regarding Remarks Linked to Death Threats Targeting Mercedes Star 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 online abuse, 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 abusive comments that appeared on his accounts. Mercedes stated that a number of these messages included threats against the driver's life.

The situation stems from team radio during the final laps of the recent race. Max Verstappen's race engineer remarked over the air that it "looked like" Antonelli had "deliberately moved aside" to allow McLaren's Lando Norris through.

This incident proved significant for the title fight, as Norris's pass secured extra points. This increased the Briton's championship lead over Verstappen to a dozen points ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

In its official communication, Red Bull asserted: "Comments voiced suggesting that Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake are factually wrong. Video evidence shows Antonelli briefly losing control of his car, thus enabling Norris to get by. We deeply regret that this has led to Kimi receiving online abuse."

The team's announcement stopped short of a formal apology for the initial accusation. However, reports indicate that Lambiase subsequently said sorry to Mercedes team principal 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 team standings... How foolish can you be to even suggest something like this?"

Wolff explained that he had cleared the air with Lambiase, who claimed he did not witness the moment when he spoke over the radio. The team noted a "1,100% increase" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli after the race.

For his part, Antonelli described the racing incident as a error. He said he was driving aggressively to close on the Williams ahead and experienced a "massive moment" 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."

Key Points from the Incident

• Red Bull has voiced remorse for radio remarks made by a staff member.
• Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli received death threats in the aftermath of those comments.
• The controversial remark centered on an overtaking move that affected the championship standings.
• Video replays confirm Antonelli made a mistake, debunking the suggestion of team orders.
• The individual in question has expressed regret to Mercedes team leadership.