Home / Sports / Red Bull Admits Blunder: Apology Issued Over F1 Driver Accusations
Red Bull Admits Blunder: Apology Issued Over F1 Driver Accusations
1 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Red Bull retracted claims Kimi Antonelli intentionally let Lando Norris pass.
- Antonelli's engineer and advisor have apologized for initial statements.
- The incorrect accusations led to significant online abuse directed at Antonelli.
Formula 1 team Red Bull has formally retracted statements made during and after the Qatar Grand Prix that accused young Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli of intentionally allowing Lando Norris to pass him. The team stated that replay footage clearly shows Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, which permitted Norris to overtake for fourth place.
This admission comes after initial frustration from Red Bull, whose race engineer and motorsport advisor had publicly suggested Antonelli had 'pulled over' or 'waved' Norris through. These comments were made in the context of the championship battle between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris.
Red Bull has issued a sincere apology, acknowledging that their inaccurate suggestions led to Kimi Antonelli enduring considerable online abuse. Both the race engineer and motorsport advisor have reportedly apologized directly to Antonelli and his team, recognizing the severe impact of their unfounded claims.
