Mercedes Formula 1 driver Kimi Antonelli has taken down his social media accounts due to receiving death threats and over 1,100 offensive messages following the Qatar Grand Prix. Trolls targeted the 19-year-old after a mistake in the race allowed Lando Norris to overtake him, resulting in Norris gaining crucial points that could impact the championship standings. Norris is currently leading by 12 points over Max Verstappen, who won the Qatar race. If Norris secures third place in the upcoming Abu Dhabi finale, he will be crowned world champion regardless of Verstappen’s performance.
Antonelli changed his Instagram profile picture to all-black right after the race, hinting at possible online abuse. It has been reported that more than 1,100 negative comments were directed at Antonelli’s personal accounts, with an additional 330 on Mercedes team pages, including threats towards the young driver.
The team plans to report all offensive remarks to the FIA as part of the United Against Online Abuse initiative. Red Bull officials suggested Antonelli may have made it easy for Norris to pass, leading to speculation and criticism. Verstappen’s race engineer expressed confusion over Antonelli’s actions during the race, while Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff dismissed accusations of foul play, emphasizing the team’s focus on the championship.
Red Bull later issued a statement expressing regret over the comments that triggered online abuse towards Antonelli, clarifying that the incident was a result of a racing mistake. Fans can watch Formula 1 events live with Sky’s Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle, which includes access to various channels, Netflix, and Discovery+.
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