Red Bull Apologizes for 'Incorrect' Antonelli Abuse Claims

Red Bull Racing has issued an apology, retracting their 'clearly incorrect' claims that Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake him during the Qatar Grand Prix. The team also expressed regret for the online abuse Antonelli subsequently received.

Why it matters:

Red Bull's initial comments, made by figures like race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase and motorsport advisor Helmut Marko, fueled a narrative of unfair play, leading to significant online backlash against Antonelli. This public apology aims to rectify the record and mitigate the damage to Antonelli's reputation, highlighting the responsibility teams bear in their public remarks, especially concerning young drivers.

The Details:

• During the penultimate lap of the Qatar GP, Kimi Antonelli, while fending off Lando Norris, ran wide. This allowed Norris to pass him and secure fourth place, gaining crucial points ahead of the Abu Dhabi title decider.
• Norris now holds a 12-point lead over Max Verstappen heading into the final race, with Oscar Piastri also in contention, four points behind Verstappen.
• Initial Red Bull Remarks: Frustrated by the reduced points gain for Verstappen, his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase commented over the radio that it looked like Antonelli had 'just pulled over and let Norris through.' Post-race, Helmut Marko further claimed Antonelli had 'waved' Norris past.
• Apologies Issued: Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff confirmed he spoke with Lambiase, who apologized for his comment. Sky Sports News also understands that Marko has apologized for his remarks.
• Official Red Bull Statement: Red Bull's statement clarified: "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. 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."

What's next:

The focus now shifts to the highly anticipated 2025 F1 season-concluding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where the championship title will be decided in a thrilling three-way battle. Red Bull's swift apology may help to de-escalate tensions and refocus attention on the racing itself, moving past the controversy surrounding Antonelli's incident.