Red Bull Issues Apology After False Claims Spark Online Abuse Against F1 Rookie Kimi Antonelli
Lusail, Qatar – November 20, 2023 – Red Bull Racing has issued a statement of regret Monday, retracting claims that Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli intentionally allowed McLaren’s Lando Norris to pass him during the Qatar Grand Prix. The retraction comes after Antonelli, a Formula 1 rookie, received a barrage of online abuse, including death threats, following the race.
the controversy stemmed from a late-race incident where Norris overtook Antonelli for fourth place, a move that solidified Norris’s 12-point led over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen heading into the season finale in Abu Dhabi this week. Red Bull race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase initially suggested to Verstappen over team radio that Antonelli had deliberately yielded the position, a sentiment echoed by Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko in comments to Sky Sport Germany, claiming Antonelli “waved him by.”
“Comments made before the end of and immediately after the Qatar GP suggesting that Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake him are clearly incorrect,” Red Bull posted on social media. “Replay footage shows Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thus allowing Norris to pass him.We sincerely regret that this has led to Kimi receiving online abuse.”
Mercedes reported receiving over 1,100 “severe or suspect” comments on Antonelli’s social media accounts,including threats of violence and wishes for harm,and more than 330 similar comments directed at the team. These comments were flagged by moderation tools and will be reported to the FIA,Formula 1’s governing body,as part of its ongoing efforts to combat online abuse. Antonelli has temporarily removed his profile picture from Instagram, replacing it with a black circle.
Mercedes Team Principal toto Wolff defended Antonelli, stating it was “hard to understand” the suggestion that the rookie would concede a position, especially while still vying for third place with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, Jr.
Antonelli himself explained the incident, stating, “I was pushing hard to stay ahead of Norris in the closing stages and regrettably just pushed a little bit too hard. I got out of shape through turn nine and then had a massive snap of oversteer. I was lucky to save the car but sadly dropped the position to the McLaren. It was a frustrating and disappointing way to end what had been a good race up to that point.”
The incident highlights the intense pressure within Formula 1 and the damaging consequences of misinformation amplified by social media. It also underscores the FIA’s commitment to protecting drivers and teams from online harassment.
