Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli has faced severe online backlash following the Qatar Grand Prix, with over 1,100 abusive messages directed towards him. The incident began when Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko accused Antonelli of intentionally letting Lando Norris pass him in the final stages of the race. Marko claimed that Antonelli’s actions were deliberate, stating that he “more or less waved Lando by” on two occasions.
The comments were made after Norris overtook Antonelli on the penultimate lap, securing a fourth-place finish. Antonelli had been performing well, keeping Norris behind him until a mistake on Lap 56/57 allowed the latter to overtake. The incident had significant implications, as Norris gained two points in his battle for the drivers’ title against Max Verstappen.
In response to the abuse, Antonelli blacked out his Instagram profile picture to bring attention to the matter. An investigation by Mercedes’ community management tools revealed a 1,100% increase in severe or suspect comments on Antonelli’s social media, including death threats and homophobic slurs. Additionally, over 330 similar comments were directed towards the driver on Mercedes’ accounts.
Following the incident, Helmut Marko issued an official apology to Antonelli, stating that he had reevaluated the footage and realized that the driver’s mistake was not intentional. Marko expressed regret over the online abuse Antonelli received, saying that he was sorry for the flak the driver faced. Red Bull also issued a statement expressing regret over the comments made by their team members, which contributed to the hate directed towards Antonelli.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff addressed the issue, stating that he had cleared the air with Max Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, who had also made comments suggesting that Antonelli intentionally let Norris pass. Wolff described Marko’s words as “nonsensical” and “brainless.” The incident highlights the need for responsible commentary in the racing community, as well as the importance of protecting drivers from online abuse. The case serves as a reminder of the impact of words on individuals and the need for respect and professionalism in the sport.