Red Bull Regret Comments After Antonelli Faces Death Threats

Red Bull Express Regret After Antonelli Faces Online Abuse

Red Bull Racing say they “sincerely regret” controversial comments made during the Qatar Grand Prix, which triggered a wave of online abuse and death threats toward Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli.

The Controversial Comment

• Gianpiero Lambiase, race engineer to Max Verstappen, told his driver that it “looked like” Antonelli had pulled over and let Lando Norris pass on the penultimate lap.

• The implication was that Antonelli, under pressure from Norris, deliberately moved aside after running wide at Turn 10, losing P4 to the McLaren driver.

This allowed Norris to gain two extra points, extending his lead over Verstappen in the drivers’ championship to 12 points instead of 10 — ahead of the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Fallout and Abuse

Mercedes confirmed Antonelli received death threats and a 1,100% spike in hateful messages after the remarks. In response, the young Italian changed his Instagram profile photo to black in a symbolic gesture.

“He just went off,” said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.

“To suggest anything else is brainless. I’m annoyed with our race already. Hearing this nonsense just blows my mind.”

Wolff added that he personally confronted Lambiase, who later apologised privately after being shown video evidence that Antonelli had momentarily lost control.

Red Bull’s Statement

Red Bull acknowledged that the radio remarks were incorrect:

“Replay footage shows Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thus allowing Norris to pass. We sincerely regret that this has led to Kimi receiving online abuse.”

The statement did not include a direct apology, though team members clarified that Lambiase had not seen the footage at the time of the comment.

Antonelli’s Response

The 18-year-old driver explained the incident:

“I was pushing hard to catch Carlos Sainz for P3. Into Turn Nine, I went slightly quicker and lost the rear. A bit unexpected. Just need to look into the data and see what I did wrong.”

Antonelli also confirmed that his mistake was not strategic or deliberate, and came during a push to challenge for the podium.

Social Media Storm

With tensions high before the final race in Abu Dhabi, this incident has highlighted ongoing concerns about:

• Online hate in motorsport

• Media responsibility around live team radio

• The pressure on young drivers in high-stakes scenarios

Final Thoughts

This is yet another reminder that words matter — even on the pit wall. The Formula 1 community continues to grapple with the impact of speculation, social media, and real-world consequences for drivers under immense pressure.