Red Bull Addresses Kimi Antonelli’s Treatment Following Qatar GP
In a recent statement, Red Bull Racing has expressed deep regret over the online abuse directed at Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli following controversial comments regarding his driving during the Qatar Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, commented via team radio that Antonelli appeared to “pull over and let [Lando] Norris through” on the penultimate lap after a driving error. This sentiment was echoed post-race by Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, who claimed Antonelli had intentionally allowed both Norris and Oscar Piastri to pass him during the race.
In response to the criticism, Antonelli modified his Instagram profile picture to black, a gesture signaling distress over the backlash. Red Bull’s statement clarified that Antonelli’s actions were misinterpreted: “Replay footage shows Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car,” it noted, emphasizing the inaccuracy of earlier allegations.
Prior to Red Bull’s response, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff condemned the comments from both Marko and Lambiase. Lambiase later apologized, acknowledging he had not viewed the complete replay that would clarify Antonelli’s maneuver.
The incident took place during a race where Norris’s successful pass on Antonelli allowed him to secure fourth place, further extending his lead over Verstappen in the drivers’ championship standings to 12 points ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
