Drivers calls out social media hate after Antonelli death threats

Oliver Bearman has blasted social media “scum” after Kimi Antonelli received death threats in the wake of the Qatar Grand Prix, when a mistake handed Lando Norris fourth, and an extra two points in the title race.

Antonelli was running fourth heading into the final lap of the Lusail race when he made a mistake, and opened the door for Norris to ease by.

‘That criticism is an absolute joke, it shouldn’t be tolerated’

The McLaren driver pounced to take fourth place and the extra two points that could be crucial in the title race as he heads into the season finale 12 points ahead of Max Verstappen, and 16 up on Oscar Piastri.

However, Red Bull called foul as Norris claimed the place with ease.

“I am not sure what happened to Antonelli there,” Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase said over team radio. “It looked like he just pulled over and let Lando through.”

Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko later told reporters it was “so obvious” that Norris was “waved” through by Antonelli.

The Italian driver’s team boss Toto Wolff called Marko’s comments “brainless”, after all, Mercedes is fighting for second in the Constructors’ Championship.

But while Red Bull later issued a statement clarifying that suggestions Antonelli had “deliberately allowed Lando Norris to overtake him are clearly incorrect”, that didn’t stop the torrent of abuse – even death threats – that Antonelli received online.

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Mercedes revealed that the driver’s social media accounts received over 1100 “severe or suspect comments” after the race, prompting Antonelli to go dark across his social media channels.

The FIA was quick to condemn the abuse, with Bearman not holding back as he too called out the “sad people” on social media.

“I didn’t face that level of criticism, but that comes as part of being in a team like Haas, rather than Mercedes,” he told PlanetF1.com and other accredited media in Abu Dhabi.

“So you know that there’s also a benefit of starting your career in a team like Haas, you’re a bit less in the limelight, you have the possibility to make mistakes and be less criticised for those.

“But I think generally, it’s always the case that people behind the screen are horrible and the scum of the earth, really, I don’t think they should be doing that type of stuff to someone.

“I understand that people who’ve been in F1 for a very long time get used to it, and people who are rookies, it may be their first experience having that type of criticism, but that criticism is an absolute joke. It shouldn’t be tolerated.

“And I know the FIA doing everything they can to stop that. But the problem is, these sad people are giving those types of criticisms. it’s a joke.

“You know, we’re putting our lives on the line to entertain people and to give the people who are passionate for the sport a good time, and you have people like that who are just hurting people, and that’s not just racing, that’s also their personal life.

“And I just think people are terrible. Real people of the world are terrible.”

Franco Colapinto, who has been on both sides with his fans subjecting Yuki Tsunoda to sickening messages but also receiving them, also weighed in.

“I’ve had so much, and it’s not something I really care or look at, and I think that’s the easiest way to take it,” he said.

“It’s just people that are behind the keyboard and writing things, and you cannot do anything about it. And it’s something that has been labeling in sports and in any other people that have interaction with the fans.

“And of course, it’s something that is wrong, but it’s also something that is very tricky to control and to stop.

“So I think the easiest way to manage that is just not looking at it, not focusing on that, not just putting any emphasis or strength on what you see in social media.

“I think most of drivers had it at some point this year, and unfortunately, something that started to become quite normal.

“On the other hand, I think that we also need to be much more careful with what we say after races or during races. And yeah, looking at the post-race interview to understand where the hate was coming and that’s also something that should be avoided first. You know before, before the hate comes.

“That’s what we have to work on, trying to avoid those moments, we are getting penalties by saying bad words in the in the media.

“But you know, people that say something that is completely wrong or creative is not getting anything. And maybe that’s also something to look at.”

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