The Red Bull team Expresses Regret Over Comments Following Death Threats Targeting Mercedes Star Kimi Antonelli

The Red Bull racing outfit has released a comment stating its deep remorse for post-race remarks that preceded a torrent of online abuse, including vile threats, directed at young talent Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli was said to have changed his Instagram profile to a blank image on Monday, a reaction 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 originated with team radio during the closing stages 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 occurrence proved crucial for the title fight, as Norris's pass secured extra points. This increased the Briton's championship lead over Verstappen to 12 points heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi.

In its official communication, Red Bull clarified: "Comments voiced implying that Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris past are factually wrong. Video evidence demonstrates Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thus enabling Norris to get by. We sincerely regret that this has resulted in Kimi being subjected to online abuse."

The team's announcement did not include a direct apology for the initial accusation. However, reports indicate that Lambiase later said sorry to Toto Wolff after reviewing video evidence of the on-track moment.

"This is complete and utter rubbish. That blows my mind even to hear that," stated Wolff. "We are fighting for P2 in the team standings... How brainless can you be to even suggest something like this?"

Wolff added that he had spoken with Lambiase, who stated he did not witness the moment when he made the comment. The team reported a "1,100% increase" in negative traffic targeting Antonelli after the Grand Prix.

For his part, Antonelli described the racing incident as a simple mistake. He commented he was pushing hard to close on Carlos Sainz and experienced a "massive moment" that caused him to run wide and surrender fourth place.

"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."

Main Takeaways from the Situation

• 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 involved an on-track pass that impacted the title battle.
• Video evidence confirm Antonelli made a mistake, debunking the implication of team orders.
• The individual in question has expressed regret to Mercedes team leadership.