Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli has spoken publicly for the first time since the Qatar Grand Prix — days after Red Bull-linked comments triggered a wave of online abuse against the 19-year-old.
The Quick Summary
- Antonelli was accused by Red Bull personnel of “letting Norris through” after a late-race mistake.
- The claims sparked heavy social media abuse towards the teenager.
- FIA and Red Bull later issued statements condemning the comments.
- Antonelli has now responded with a brief message thanking fans for their support.
What Happened in Qatar
- On the penultimate lap, Antonelli lost the rear of his Mercedes while defending from Lando Norris.
- The oversteer snap allowed the McLaren to pass, costing Mercedes two valuable points.
- Shortly after, Red Bull race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase suggested on radio that the Italian “pulled over” intentionally.
- Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko echoed the criticism, calling it “so obvious”.
These remarks spread rapidly online — and so did the abuse directed at Antonelli.
The Fallout
- Antonelli blacked out his social media profiles following the incident.
- Both Red Bull and the FIA released statements condemning the accusations and the resulting harassment.
- In his post-race interview, Antonelli made it clear the mistake was not intentional:
- “I was pushing hard to try and catch Sainz for the podium.”
Antonelli Finally Speaks
Although still inactive on social media, Antonelli left a short message under his last pre-Qatar post:
“Thanks everyone for the support. Grazie a tutti per il supporto.”
It marks his first public comment since the controversy erupted.
Context: A Roller-Coaster Rookie Season
- Antonelli arrived in Qatar after back-to-back podiums in Brazil and Las Vegas.
- He struggled earlier in the European season but has shown strong late-year pace.
- He currently sits 7th in the championship, and could overtake Lewis Hamilton for P6 if he outscores the Ferrari driver by two points in Abu Dhabi.
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