Franco Colapinto Rushes to Kimi Antonelli’s Defence After Qatar GP Controversy

Kimi Antonelli’s late-race mistake at the Qatar Grand Prix appeared minor at first glance, yet the consequences have grown far beyond a lost podium position.



The Mercedes rookie was running fourth on the final lap in Losail when a small misjudgment at Turn 10 sent him off-line, allowing Lando Norris to overtake.



That change of position has since reshaped the title fight and triggered an unexpected surge of online hostility toward the young Italian.



A Small Moment With Major Implications



In finishing behind Norris, Antonelli unintentionally created a scenario that allowed the McLaren driver to remain mathematically in contention for the world championship heading into the Abu Dhabi finale.



Regardless of Max Verstappen’s result, Norris’ podium ensures the title can still be decided only on December 7.



The incident prompted Gianpiero Lambiase, Verstappen’s race engineer, to react with frustration when he was briefed on the consequences, suggesting in the heat of the moment that Antonelli may have done it deliberately.



That comment, later walked back, quickly fuelled conspiracy theories online.



Rising Tension and Red Bull’s Response



The reaction across social media escalated sharply, with Antonelli receiving waves of harassment and abusive messages in the days that followed.



Red Bull released a public statement defending the 18-year-old and rejecting any notion of intentional wrongdoing, calling for an end to the targeted hostility.



Despite that, criticism continued to spread, prompting wider debate about how the sport handles online behaviour surrounding controversial moments.



Colapinto Calls for F1 to Rethink Its Approach



Franco Colapinto entered the discussion on Thursday, expressing concern about the imbalance between penalties handed out to drivers for language and the lack of consequences for those who spread unfounded accusations.



“I was just thinking about the fines we receive for using profanity on television or in the media, compared to people who speak quickly without thinking, without having all the information or the overall situation, and who make statements that consequently generate hatred,” said the Argentinian.



“It’s much worse than when we swear or anything like that.”



He argued that Formula 1’s current methods of addressing online harassment may not be sufficient, particularly in cases where official comments or public speculation help inflame the situation.



Colapinto said those who contribute to widespread hostility often face no meaningful repercussions.



“This creates a much bigger problem, and they face no consequences,” he continued.



“They simply issue a statement, and everything goes back to normal.”



“I don’t know, it all seems unfair to me.”



“Perhaps it should change, perhaps not; it’s not up to me to decide, so I won’t get too involved, but it’s probably something that deserves to be reviewed.”
The post Franco Colapinto Rushes to Kimi Antonelli’s Defence After Qatar GP Controversy appeared first on Formula1News.co.uk .