The fallout from the Qatar Grand Prix has rumbled on, with Red Bull admitting they were “clearly incorrect” to suggest Mercedes’s Kimi Antonelli deliberately allowed McLaren’s Lando Norris to overtake him late in the season’s penultimate race.
Red Bull added their “regret” at the online abuse the Mercedes driver has received since the controversial race, which may have a decisive influence on who wins the F1 drivers’ title following the season finale in Abu Dhabi this weekend.
Norris was in fifth place behind Antonelli towards the end of Sunday’s race when the Italian slid wide and Norris overtook him for fourth place.
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That allowed the McLaren driver to stay 12 points in front of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The extra two points Norris gained from the manoeuvre could yet prove crucial in the three-way battle at the top with Verstappen and Australia’s Oscar Piastri, who is a further four points behind the Dutchman.
Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, suggested to the Dutch-Belgian four-time champion over the radio that it seemed Antonelli had let Norris pass him, while Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko claimed Antonelli “waved him by”.
However, Red Bull posted a retraction on social media on Monday.
“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,” it said.
McLaren’s Lando Norris finished the Qatar Grand Prix in controversial fashion. (Getty Images: Icon Sportswire/Jeff Speer)
“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.”
Antonelli was defended by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who said it was “hard to understand” the claims that the Italian rookie would give up a place, especially when he still had a chance of catching Carlos Sainz in third.
“I was pushing hard to stay ahead of Norris in the closing stages and unfortunately just pushed a little bit too hard,” Antonelli said.
“I got out of shape through turn nine and then had a massive snap of oversteer.
“I was lucky to save the car but sadly dropped the position to the McLaren. It was a frustrating and disappointing way to end what had been a good race up to that point.”
Oscar Piastri was left speechless with what went on at the Qatar Grand Prix. (Getty Images: Lars Baron)
Meanwhile, Piastri can take hope from history and become Formula 1 champion, according to McLaren boss Andrea Stella, despite the team’s blunder in Qatar.
The 24-year-old did everything right at the Lusail circuit, but had to settle for second after McLaren gambled not to pit their drivers under an early safety car while all their rivals did.
The Australian said he was speechless with what had happened and McLaren was quick to apologise.
Stella said: “Clearly Oscar was in control of the race and deserved to win it.”
“Oscar, from a points point of view, is definitely in condition to win the title,” added the Italian.
“We have seen before in the history of Formula 1 that when you have this kind of situation, sometimes it’s the third one that actually wins.”
The ex-Ferrari man spoke from personal experience.
In 2007, Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen won the championship after going into the final race third overall.
Stella emphasised that Piastri would be free to race while he still had a chance at the title.
“We will let the drivers be in condition to race each other but above all, what’s important for us is that we are in condition to beat Verstappen with one of our two drivers,” he added.
AAP