The 2025 F1 Qatar Grand Prix was a dramatic showdown of skill and strategy, but one controversial moment involving Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli upset many Red Bull fans, resulting in online abuse.
However, Red Bull has now come out in support of the youngster in a recent statement.
Red Bull Backs Mercedes Youngster Kimi Antonelli After Fans Accuse Him of ‘Helping’ Lando Norris
During the final stages of the race, Lando Norris was battling Antonelli for fourth, trying to accumulate as many championship points as possible ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. But the Englishman struggled behind the Mercedes and looked like he was going to have to settle for fifth on the day.
However, a crucial slip by Antonelli saw him oversteer, in addition to losing his P4. While it was a reasonable mistake, Red Bull fans online slammed the rookie, claiming he slipped on purpose to let Norris pass him. The heat of the controversy stems from the fact that Norris now leads Verstappen by an additional two points in the standings.
Red Bull, on the other hand, reviewed footage of the moment and determined that Antonelli didn’t slip on purpose, and the team apologized to the rookie for any online abuse that came his way.
“Team Statement… Comments made before the end of and immediately after the Qatar GP suggesting that Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake him are clearly incorrect,” the team wrote. “Replay footage shows Antonelli momentarily losing control of his car, thus allowing Norris to pass him… We sincerely regret that this has led to Kimi receiving online abuse.”
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) December 1, 2025
The incident occurred while Antonelli passed through a series of two corners. He entered the first at a slightly unusual angle, resulting in him getting out of shape while exiting. However, the controversial overtake only occurred after the next corner, where the rookie lost control of his car again. Norris was right on his heels and leaped down the inside to take P4.
The moment had a subtle but significant impact on the race for the Drivers’ Championship. Verstappen trails Norris by 12 points, meaning that even if Verstappen wins in Abu Dhabi, Norris only has to finish third to clinch the title.
On the other hand, if Norris never got past Antonelli, he would’ve only led by 10 points heading into the final race, meaning a 3rd-place finish in Abu Dhabi (while Verstappen finishes first) would only tie him and the Dutchman for the title. In a tie-breaker, Verstappen would then win due to having one more Grand Prix win this season over Norris.