MILTON KEYNES, England – Red Bull expressed regret Monday after it made “patently incorrect” comments that Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli let Lando Norris pass at the Qatar Grand Prix, affecting the Formula One title race.
Standings leader Norris was in fifth place behind Antonelli at the end of Sunday's race when the Italian slipped past and Norris overtook him for fourth place. That left the McLaren driver 12 points ahead of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen heading into this week's season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Verstappen's race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase radioed to suggest to the four-time Dutch champion that Antonelli appeared to have allowed Norris to overtake him, while Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko said Antonelli had “waved him away” in comments to Sky Sport Germany.
“Comments made before and immediately after the Qatar Grand Prix suggesting that Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake him are clearly incorrect,” Red Bull wrote on social media on Monday.
“The replay footage shows Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, allowing Norris to overtake him. We sincerely regret that this led to Kimi being subjected to online abuse.”
Antonelli was defended by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who said it was “difficult to understand” claims that the Italian rookie would give way, especially when he still had a chance to catch Carlos Sainz Jr, who was third at the time.
“I tried my best to get ahead of Norris in the closing stages, but unfortunately I just overdid it. I lost my shape at Turn 9 and then I oversteered,” Antonelli said.
“I was lucky to save the car but unfortunately I lost the position to McLaren. It was a disappointing and disappointing way to end what had been a good race up to that point.”
