FIA Responds to Max Verstappen Fans Abusing Kimi Antonelli

The FIA has issued a formal statement condemning the online harassment aimed at Mercedes F1 rookie Kimi Antonelli following the Qatar Grand Prix.



The 19-year-old faced a wave of abuse after comments from Red Bull personnel suggested he had deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake him during the closing laps.



Antonelli had been defending fourth position against Norris in the final stages of the race.



A mistake on the last lap allowed the McLaren driver to pass, a result that proved critical for the championship battle.



With Max Verstappen winning the race, Norris’s fourth-place finish positioned him to secure the 2025 world title by reaching the podium at the final race in Abu Dhabi.



Clarifying the On-Track Incident



Both Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko and Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase initially speculated that Antonelli had intentionally let Norris through, undermining Verstappen’s championship hopes.



However, onboard footage clearly showed that Antonelli experienced a massive oversteer moment, nearly losing control of his Mercedes, which allowed Norris to pass.



There was no evidence of intentional yield or team orders in play.



Following these claims, Antonelli was subjected to abusive messages on social media.



Red Bull and Marko subsequently issued apologies, acknowledging that their public commentary was misleading and had contributed to the harassment of the young driver.



FIA Statement on Abuse



The governing body has now publicly addressed the situation.



In a post released on social media, the FIA said:



“The FIA and its United Against Online Abuse campaign condemns abuse and harassment in any form.”



The statement emphasized the importance of a safe and respectful environment for everyone in the sport.



“It remains absolutely critical that everyone operating within our sport can do so in a safe and respectful environment,” it added.



The FIA urged fans and participants alike to treat drivers, teams, and officials with respect and compassion.



Antonelli’s Response to Harassment



In response to the abuse, Antonelli temporarily changed his Instagram profile picture to a blank image, likely as a measure to reduce attention from trolls.



Despite the online harassment, he has continued to perform impressively in his debut season with Mercedes.



Antonelli is currently just two points behind seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton heading into the final race, highlighting his strong rookie campaign.



The young Italian’s season has been marked by both promise and learning experiences.



The Qatar incident serves as a reminder of the pressures faced by rookie drivers competing at the highest level, especially when championship positions are at stake.



Red Bull Acknowledges Error



Red Bull released a formal statement clarifying the situation:



“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 statement confirmed that replay footage showed Antonelli losing control momentarily, which unintentionally allowed Norris past.



“We sincerely regret that this has led to Kimi receiving online abuse,” the statement concluded.



Looking Ahead for Antonelli



After a challenging few weeks, Antonelli is expected to take time off during the winter to recharge for the upcoming 2026 season.



Mercedes and the FIA have both emphasized the importance of protecting young drivers from online harassment, aiming to prevent similar situations in the future.



The incident has also sparked broader discussions about accountability and responsible commentary in Formula 1.



Team personnel, fans, and media outlets are reminded of the impact that public statements can have on the mental well-being of drivers, particularly rookies.
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