Red Bull row back after accusing Antonelli of ‘waving through’ Norris in Qatar
What started as a radio barb turned into a storm, and by Monday, a climbdown. Red Bull have retracted suggestions that Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli deliberately let Lando Norris through late in the Qatar Grand Prix — a claim that spiralled into a wave of online abuse directed at the Italian.
Lando’s move for fourth on Antonelli at Lusail was the flashpoint. On Red Bull’s pit wall, Max Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase floated the idea that the Mercedes had “pulled over and let Norris through.” Helmut Marko then doubled down in post‑race comments, saying Antonelli had done it “not once but twice,” a narrative that landed with force given the championship stakes.
By the time the replays had been properly picked apart, Red Bull’s position had shifted. In a team statement, the reigning champions conceded the accusations were “clearly incorrect,” pointing to footage showing Antonelli briefly losing control, which opened the door for Norris. The team added its regret that the rookie had become a target online as the clip ricocheted across social media.
Antonelli’s accounts were hit with over a thousand abusive or suspect messages in the immediate aftermath, including several threats. The 19‑year‑old blacked out his profile picture; Mercedes, for their part, said they’d pass data to the FIA as part of the United Against Online Abuse initiative.
Marko also issued a personal apology after reviewing the onboards. Speaking to F1‑Insider, he admitted the second pass was down to a “driving error and not intentional,” adding that while Antonelli “could have put up a bit more of a fight” the first time, the insinuation of a plot was misplaced. “I’m sorry that Antonelli got so much flak online,” he said. “He didn’t let Norris past intentionally.”
Toto Wolff didn’t bother with diplomacy. The Mercedes CEO and team principal labelled the theory “total, utter nonsense,” noting the idea they’d gift McLaren track position — and points — in the middle of tight end‑season fights was “mind‑blowing.” As Wolff put it, Mercedes are scrapping for second in the constructors’ standings, and Antonelli has his own late‑year target. “Kimi is fighting for a potential P3,” Wolff said. “How brainless can you be to even say something like this?”
Strip it back and the onboards tell a familiar story: a driver on fading tyres wrestling a snap and a rival pouncing. It happens, especially under the glare of a desert night with the title picture in full focus. That doesn’t excuse the leap from heat‑of‑the‑moment frustration to loud, public accusation of collusion — particularly when the driver being accused is a teenager in his first F1 season.
There’s also the human cost. Teams know how quickly a narrative hardens online. A throwaway line on the radio, an off‑the‑cuff comment in the pen, and within minutes a young driver is dealing with death threats. Red Bull’s correction and apology were the right steps. The hope is that — heading into the Abu Dhabi finale with Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri still in the title conversation — the temperature stays below boiling.
Antonelli, for his part, doesn’t need pity. He needs space to learn, to make the odd late‑race error under pressure, and to fight again next weekend without someone seeing a conspiracy in every lock‑up. Mercedes will close ranks, Red Bull have put their hands up, and Norris got his P4 on merit. That should be the end of it.
But if this season has taught us anything, it’s that the race doesn’t stop at the chequered flag. Words carry weight — sometimes more than a few tenths — and in 2025’s knife‑edge climate, the smartest teams are the ones who pick them with care.
