Red Bull refutes top advisor Helmut Marko and confirms that Kimi Antonelli was overtaken fairly by Lando Norris during the Qatar GP. The World Championship leader thereby limited the damage in the championship. However, according to Marko, this was a set-up, and Antonelli deliberately let the Brit pass. This led to online threats against the Italian. In a new statement, Red Bull is eating humble pie.
Red Bull immediately found Norris’s overtaking of Antonelli suspicious. Race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase expressed his mistrust via the onboard radio. “I don’t know what happened to Antonelli,” he told Max Verstappen. “It seems like he just moved aside and let Norris pass.” Helmut Marko also saw nothing other than a deliberate gesture from the Mercedes rookie. “He just let him pass, that was obvious,” he told several media outlets.
Red Bull: ‘Comments are Clearly Incorrect’
As McLaren’s engine supplier, Mercedes would supposedly do everything in its power to ensure Lando Norris wins the championship. However, Toto Wolff vehemently dismissed these rumors and directed his criticism at Marko. “He needs to get checked out; I think he’s seeing ghosts,” the team boss responded sharply. Some social media users also suspected that McLaren and Mercedes were in cahoots and vented their anger on Antonelli. The young Italian received a significant amount of nasty messages and threats on Instagram. Mercedes brought this to the attention of the FIA.
Red Bull has since released a statement in response to Marko’s comments. “Comments made immediately after the Qatar GP, suggesting that Kimi Antonelli had deliberately let Lando Norris overtake, are clearly incorrect,” the team of Max Verstappen stated. “Footage shows that Antonelli momentarily lost control of his car, allowing Norris to pass him. We deeply regret that this has led to online abuse.”
