Antonelli has blacked out his profile picture on his social media channels after a deluge of hate and even death threats were made. Mercedes’ community management tools have flagged more than 1,100 severe or suspicious comments on Antonelli’s social media accounts.

The sad reality is that every Sunday during a race weekend, a barrage of online hate is unleashed on the Mercedes driver’s social media, but in this case there has been a 1,100 percent increase compared to the average weekend.

On the social media accounts of the Mercedes Formula 1 team, more than 330 severe or suspicious comments were flagged by community management tools.

Mercedes plans to share the figures and the hateful comments with the FIA for their United Against Online Abuse campaign. GPblog has asked the motorsport federation for a response but is still waiting.

Antonelli is being accused by “F1 fans” of letting Lando Norris through in the closing stages of the Qatar Grand Prix. The Brit picked up two useful extra points in the title fight.

Gianpiero Lambiase, Max Verstappen’s race engineer, said during the race that it looked like Antonelli simply moved aside. Lambiase later apologized to Mercedes.

Helmut Marko was also outspoken on the incident after the race too, telling GPblog it was a deliberate action by Antonelli. Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, reacted angrily to the insinuation that it was a deliberate move by the 19-year old rookie.

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