Red Bull say they were “patently incorrect” when they suggested Kimi Antonelli deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake him late in the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday, adding that they “regret” the online abuse the Mercedes driver has since endured.
Antonelli fended off Norris until he ran wide on the penultimate lap, allowing the championship leader to take fourth, picking up two more crucial points ahead of this week’s title decider in Abu Dhabi.
The pass means McLaren’s Norris has a lead of 12 – instead of 10 – over Max Verstappen in the final race of the season, with the team’s Briton Oscar Piastre also in contention, four points further back in third.
Clearly frustrated that race winner Verstappen had reduced his points gains from Norris, the Dutchman’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase told him over the radio that it looked like Antonelli “just stopped and let Norris pass”. Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko then said after the race that Antonelli “waved” at Norris.
Toto Wolff says he spoke to Lambiase after the race and that the engineer apologized for his comment, while Ski Sports News understand Marko also apologized.
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The end of the Qatar GP where Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took a crucial victory for the treble
Red Bull said in a statement: “Comments made before and immediately after the Qatar GP suggesting that Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake him are patently false.
“Replay footage shows Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, allowing Norris to pass him. We sincerely regret that this has led to Kimi being abused online.”
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