F1 drivers rally round Kimi Antonelli after on-line abuse "positively harm" rookie: What they stated

Andrea Kimi Antonelli arrived in Abu Dhabi carrying what turned a tsunami of abuse on his shoulders after a mistake within the closing moments of the Qatar Grand Prix was misconstrued as waving by way of Max Verstappen rival Lando Norris.

Feedback made by Purple Bull’s Helmut Marko and Gianpiero Lambiase – later apologised for – began a barrage of on-line hate in the direction of the 18-year-old Italian.

In response, quite a lot of drivers have condemned the therapy of the Mercedes rookie. That is what they needed to say forward of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, together with Antonelli himself.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli

Yeah, I imply, it was not straightforward to get all these form of feedback after the race, particularly for one thing that I might by no means do, equivalent to waving previous a competitor. I used to be preventing for P3, on the finish of the day, I used to be pushing laborious and I used to be attempting to get into the DRS of Sainz, particularly after so many laps in soiled air and pushing so laborious. The error arrived, as a result of clearly each lap I used to be pushing a bit increasingly to get nearer and I arrived to the purpose the place the tyre gave up and for the time being I did a mistake and Lando handed me.

Then after the race to obtain these form of feedback positively harm, however yeah, positively, then clearly it was good to see the direct Purple Bull assertion. Additionally, GP got here to speak to me as effectively and I additionally clarified with Max and that was good. However aside from that, after that they obtained numerous help, which was good and positively additionally it helped to form of neglect what occurred and concentrate on to this week.

I believe it is fairly unacceptable what occurred and what was written and the abuse on-line. Clearly, it began with a mistake from Purple Bull guys and naturally they apologised and that is OK. Individuals make errors particularly when you do not have the complete information, however I believe these hundreds of individuals behind their keyboards don’t have any excuse.

They actually need to take a tough have a look at themselves within the mirror and suppose why that’s acceptable. Not only for F1, however simply society altogether. I simply wrestle to understand it actually.

That is all I can say.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Picture by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Photographs

I have not spoken to Kimi however it’s simply unfair particularly whenever you’re giving your absolute most throughout your race. I believe it was fourth. You make a mistake after which there’s all this stuff stated about you on-line.

I believe it is simply very unfair since you give your absolute most after which it looks as if you probably did this error on objective. Which I believe could be very not good. Individuals behind their keyboards like George stated are simply idiots.

They do not know something about racing, by no means drove ever of their life in order that’s the one motive why they remark.

I haven’t got rather more so as to add aside from that it is unacceptable. Clearly, these folks face no penalties for his or her phrases and for his or her disrespect in the direction of drivers. It is lower than us to consider the implications that they need to endure, however it’s an enormous disgrace as a result of, as they stated, we’re all right here attempting to do our very best.

We have finished racing since we have been youngsters dreaming of being in that place. At present, we’re doing completely every thing with a view to be on the restrict and typically errors occur. In that individual case, the hate was for completely nothing.

I did not converse with Kimi. The one factor that you are able to do in these form of moments is to disregard every thing that’s taking place. That is clearly very laborious and particularly if you end up, I bear in mind my first or second yr in F1, you form of look typically on social media what’s being stated round you.

A minimum of that was the case for me and that makes it much more troublesome. Then I believe with expertise you form of get used to however we should not actually should get used to those form of behaviours and I hope that someday it will likely be tackled correctly.

Effectively, I did not face that degree of criticism, however that comes as a part of being in a crew like Haas reasonably than Mercedes. So, there’s additionally a advantage of beginning your profession in a crew like Haas. You are a bit much less within the limelight.

You might have the likelihood to make errors and be much less criticised for these. However typically, it is all the time the case that individuals behind the display are horrible they usually’re scum of the earth, actually. I do not suppose they need to be doing that kind of stuff to somebody.

I perceive that individuals who’ve been in F1 for a really very long time can get used to it, and people who find themselves rookies, it could be their first expertise having that kind of criticism, however that criticism is an absolute joke. It should not be tolerated and I do know the FIA are doing every thing they’ll to cease that, however the issue is these unhappy folks giving these kinds of criticisms. It is a joke.

We’re placing our lives on the road to entertain folks and to offer the people who find themselves passionate for the game a very good time and you’ve got folks like that who’re simply hurting folks, and that is not simply racing, that is additionally their private life and I simply suppose persons are horrible. The true folks of the world are horrible.

Extra quotes will probably be added to this web page because the weekend continues.

Photographs from Abu Dhabi GP – Thursday

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing