Mercedes Formula 1 driver Kimi Antonelli has been subjected to a torrent of online hate, including death threats, in the wake of the Qatar Grand Prix. The 19-year-old rookie has reportedly received more than 1,100 abusive messages across his personal social media channels.
Race Incident Sparks Vile Backlash
The abuse stems from a critical moment in Sunday's race at the Lusail International Circuit. In the closing stages, Antonelli had a moment where he veered off the racing line, which allowed McLaren's Lando Norris to pass him. This move handed Norris two additional championship points.
Those points could prove decisive in the title fight. Norris now leads Red Bull's Max Verstappen by 12 points. This means the British driver only needs to finish third at the season finale in Abu Dhabi to secure his first world championship, regardless of where Verstappen places.
Social Media Blackout and Official Response
Shortly after the race, fans noticed Antonelli had changed his Instagram profile picture to a plain black image, sparking concern. It has since been confirmed this was a direct response to the onslaught of online abuse.
In addition to the messages on his own accounts, approximately 330 further abusive comments were identified on the official Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team pages. Mercedes is now preparing to submit all gathered evidence to the FIA, which operates the 'United Against Online Abuse' initiative.
Red Bull Comments Fuel Controversy
The situation was exacerbated by comments from senior Red Bull figures. Max Verstappen's race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, suggested over team radio that it looked like Antonelli "just pulled over and let Lando through."
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko went further after the race, stating it was "so obvious" the young Mercedes driver had allowed Norris to pass. These remarks were widely seen as implying the move was deliberate, potentially to aid Norris, whose McLaren team uses Mercedes power units.
Wolff's Furious Rebuttal and Red Bull Regret
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff issued a blistering response, dismissing the insinuations as "total, utter nonsense." He revealed he had spoken directly with Lambiase to clarify the situation, explaining Antonelli simply had a moment of lost control.
"Why would we even think about interfering in a driver championship?" Wolff asked. "You really need to check yourself and whether you are seeing ghosts."
On Monday, Red Bull released a statement expressing regret. "Comments made... suggesting that Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake him are clearly incorrect," it read. "We sincerely regret that this has led to Kimi receiving online abuse."
The incident highlights the severe and toxic side of modern sports fandom, where a simple racing error can trigger a wave of targeted harassment against a teenager in the global spotlight.
