Red Bull Retracts Claims of Foul Play in Qatar GP, Rookie Driver Faces Online Abuse
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McLaren’s Lando Norris will head into the final race of the Formula 1 season with a 12-point lead over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, following a controversial incident at the Qatar Grand Prix that has prompted a retraction from the reigning champion’s team and sparked a wave of online abuse directed at Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli.
Red Bull issued a statement on Monday acknowledging that allegations suggesting Antonelli intentionally allowed Norris to pass were “clearly incorrect.” The controversy began during the closing laps of Sunday’s race, when Norris overtook Antonelli for fourth place, a move that solidified his championship position.
Incident Fuels Championship Debate
Norris was running in fifth, closely trailing Antonelli, when the Italian driver experienced a loss of control, creating an opportunity for Norris to move into fourth. Promptly following the overtake, Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, communicated to the four-time champion that it appeared Antonelli had deliberately yielded the position.These suspicions were further amplified by Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, who claimed Antonelli “waved him by” in comments to Sky Sport Germany.
However, after reviewing replay footage, Red Bull reversed course. “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,” the team 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 Condemns Online Harassment of Antonelli
The retraction came as Mercedes revealed the extent of the online harassment Antonelli has faced. The team reported receiving over 1,100 “severe or suspect” comments on Antonelli’s social media accounts, including death threats and messages wishing him harm. More than 330 similar comments were directed at the team’s official accounts.
Mercedes stated that these abusive comments were flagged by automated tools and prevented from public view. The team will be forwarding the evidence to the FIA, Formula 1’s governing body, as part of its ongoing efforts to combat online abuse within the sport. In a stark visual depiction of the impact, Antonelli has temporarily replaced his profile picture on Instagram with a plain black circle.
support for Antonelli from Team Principal
Mercedes team principal Toto wolff vehemently defended Antonelli, stating it was “hard to understand” the accusations. “I was pushing hard to stay ahead of Norris in the closing stages and unfortunately just pushed a little bit too hard,” Antonelli explained. “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.
Why did it happen? The incident stemmed from a perceived loss of control by Kimi Antonelli during the Qatar Grand prix, allowing Lando Norris to overtake. Initial suspicions, fueled by Red Bull’s team radio and advisor Helmut Marko, suggested Antonelli deliberately yielded the position to benefit Norris.
Who was involved? Key players included Lando Norris (mclaren), Max Verstappen (Red Bull), Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Gianpiero Lambiase (Verstappen’s race engineer), Helmut Marko (Red Bull advisor),
