Mercedes Formula 1 driver, Kimi Antonelli, has taken down his social media accounts after receiving numerous death threats and over 1,100 hateful messages following the recent Qatar Grand Prix. Trolls targeted the 19-year-old due to an incident during the race that allowed Lando Norris to overtake him, resulting in Norris gaining two crucial points in the championship race. With Norris now holding a 12-point lead over Max Verstappen, who won the Qatar Grand Prix, Norris only needs a third-place finish in the upcoming Abu Dhabi finale to clinch the world championship.
After the race, observers noticed that Antonelli had changed his Instagram profile picture to all-black, hinting at possible online abuse. Reportedly, more than 1,100 negative comments were found on Antonelli’s personal accounts, with an additional 330 on the Mercedes team’s pages, some of which contained threats towards the young driver.
The team is set to report the offensive comments to the FIA as part of the United Against Online Abuse initiative. This action follows remarks from Red Bull officials suggesting that Antonelli may have facilitated Norris’ pass, a claim disputed by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff. Wolff criticized the insinuations, emphasizing that the team was focused on competitive racing and not interfering with championships.
Red Bull later issued a statement expressing regret over the comments that led to online abuse directed at Antonelli, acknowledging that replay footage showed Antonelli losing control, allowing Norris to overtake. In other news, Sky has enhanced its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to include various streaming services alongside Formula 1 coverage, showcasing every practice session, qualifier, and race throughout the season.
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