Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli has faced severe online backlash after the Qatar Grand Prix, receiving more than 1,100 abusive messages. The controversy began when Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko accused Antonelli of deliberately allowing Lando Norris to pass him in the final stages of the race. Marko claimed that Antonelli “more or less waved Lando by” on two occasions, a statement made after Norris overtook Antonelli on the penultimate lap to secure a fourth‑place finish.
Antonelli had been performing well, keeping Norris behind until a mistake on laps 56‑57 allowed the Briton to pass. The overtake proved significant, giving Norris two extra points in his battle for the drivers’ title against Max Verstappen. In response to the abuse, Antonelli blacked out his Instagram profile picture to draw attention to the issue. An investigation using Mercedes’ community‑management tools revealed a 1,100 % increase in severe or suspect comments on his social media, including death threats and homophobic slurs, and more than 330 similar comments were directed at him on Mercedes’ accounts.
Following the incident, Helmut Marko issued an official apology, stating that after re‑examining the footage he realized Antonelli’s mistake was not intentional. Marko expressed regret for the online abuse the driver endured. Red Bull also released a statement apologising for comments made by its team members that contributed to the hate directed at Antonelli. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff addressed the matter, noting that he had spoken with Max Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase—who had also suggested Antonelli let Norris pass—and described Marko’s remarks as “nonsensical” and “brainless.”
The episode underscores the need for responsible commentary within the racing community and highlights the importance of protecting drivers from online abuse. It serves as a reminder of the impact words can have on individuals and the necessity for respect and professionalism in the sport.
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