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Sky F1 star rallies around Mercedes driver after Kimi Antonelli death threats
Sky Sports F1 broadcaster David Croft has come out in support of Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli following death threats the young Italian racer received online after a costly error during the last weekend’s Qatar GP.
Antonelli’s mistake cost him fourth place, as he ran wide in Turn 10 on the penultimate lap, allowing Lando Norris to overtake him and finishing in fifth place. This incident led Max Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, to criticize him over team radio.
In response to the backlash, Red Bull apologized for Lambiase’s remarks, clarifying that Antonelli momentarily lost control of his car, letting Norris pass. They condemned the online abuse Antonelli faced, emphasizing that no driver should experience such hate.
Croft condemned the abuse during the Sky F1 Show podcast, defending Antonelli’s character and talent, and criticizing those who use social media to attack drivers for mistakes. He called for an end to online abuse, warning that it could drive people away from social media and hinder communication.
The F1 community expressed solidarity with Antonelli, with Mercedes confirming he received death threats. Despite the incident, Antonelli changed his Instagram profile picture to a black circle, highlighting the need to address online abuse in motorsport.
