Calum Nicholas Slams Death Rumors: “I’m Very Much Alive!”
In a shocking twist of fate, Red Bull ambassador Calum Nicholas has had to publicly affirm his existence after a malicious Facebook post falsely claimed he had passed away. The former senior engine technician, who dedicated a decade to Red Bull Racing from 2015 to 2025, found himself at the center of a whirlwind of misinformation that sent ripples through the motorsport community.
Nicholas, who transitioned from his garage role to an ambassador position last season, woke up to a barrage of messages from concerned fans and colleagues. The uproar was sparked by a vicious and baseless rumor circulating on social media, leading Nicholas to take to his own platforms to set the record straight.
“Let me clarify,” Nicholas stated with a mix of humor and frustration, “I am very much still alive—at least, physically!” He even cheekily added that the news might come as a “disappointment” to some, revealing his light-hearted approach to the disconcerting situation. “I woke up this morning to a few messages about a Facebook post claiming I had died. This is factually incorrect. I’m going skiing today though, so there’s hope for you yet. Have a great day! Remember, don’t believe everything you read on the internet.”
But this isn’t just a trivial incident; it reflects a larger, troubling trend of misinformation and online harassment within the Formula 1 community. The closing weeks of the 2025 season brought the issue into sharp focus after Andrea Kimi Antonelli, a Mercedes driver, found himself in the crosshairs of online abuse following a critical error during the Qatar Grand Prix. His mistake allowed Lando Norris to capitalize, ultimately enabling Norris to snatch the championship title from Max Verstappen by a mere two points at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The fallout from Antonelli’s blunder was severe, with the young driver facing death threats and a wave of vitriol that shocked many in the sport. Notably, Verstappen’s race engineer, GianPiero Lambiase, and Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko initially raised suspicions about Antonelli’s error. Marko even claimed it was “so obvious” that Norris was “waved” through by Mercedes—comments that drew ire from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who condemned Marko’s remarks as “brainless.”
In the wake of this online chaos, fellow drivers, including Haas’ Oliver Bearman, condemned the harassment Antonelli received. Bearman urged fans to remember that “people behind the screen are horrible and they’re scum of the earth, really,” emphasizing the need for accountability in the digital age.
The saga of Calum Nicholas serves as a stark reminder of how quickly misinformation can spread and the devastating impact it can have on individuals within the sporting world. As fans and followers of Formula 1, it’s crucial to approach news with skepticism and to stand against the toxic culture of online abuse—because in a sport that thrives on precision and respect, everyone deserves to feel safe and valued.
