FIA Condemns Online Abuse Towards Kimi Antonelli Following Qatar GP Incident

Kimi Antonelli has faced severe online abuse and death threats after an error late in the Qatar Grand Prix, which allowed Lando Norris to gain crucial points. The FIA has issued a strong statement condemning the abuse, reiterating its commitment to a safe and respectful environment within motorsport.

Why it matters:

The incident highlights the growing problem of online toxicity targeting athletes, even for racing errors. The FIA's quick and firm response underscores the sport's commitment to protecting its participants from harassment, especially younger drivers like Antonelli, who are just beginning their careers under immense public scrutiny.

The details:

• During the Qatar Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli made an error at Turn 10, which allowed Lando Norris to capitalize, extending his lead over Max Verstappen by two crucial points in the title race.
• Following the race, Red Bull's Helmut Marko initially accused Antonelli of a 'deliberate act' before retracting the statement and issuing an apology.
• Verstappen's race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, also suggested via team radio that the Mercedes driver had intentionally moved aside for McLaren.
• Mercedes boss Toto Wolff responded to Marko's initial comments, calling them 'brainless,' and spoke with Lambiase after the race to address his comments.
• The FIA, through its United Against Online Abuse campaign, released a statement condemning the 'awful abuse and harassment in any form' directed at Antonelli.
• The statement emphasized the critical importance of a safe and respectful environment for everyone involved in the sport.
• Antonelli has since blacked out his social media profile pictures in response to the online harassment.

What's next:

The FIA's continued efforts through campaigns like 'United Against Online Abuse' aim to foster a more positive online environment. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the pressures young drivers face and the necessity for collective action from teams, officials, and the wider community to ensure sportsmanship and respect prevail both on and off the track. The focus will now shift to how F1 stakeholders can further implement measures to combat such abuse effectively.