Andrea Kimi Antonelli Faces Grid Penalty Following Austrian GP Incident
Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes has received a three-place grid penalty for the upcoming Formula 1 British Grand Prix after a collision with Max Verstappen during the Austrian GP. The incident occurred on the opening lap when Antonelli locked his rear tires at Turn 3, resulting in both cars retiring from the race.
The stewards ruled the crash was entirely Antonelli’s fault, citing his admission of error during the inquiry. According to the stewards’ report, Antonelli attempted to avoid colliding with Liam Lawson ahead, which led to his car losing grip on a dirty line, causing the lock-up and subsequent crash with Verstappen’s Red Bull.
The stewards noted, “Taking evasive action led to the car having less grip on the dirty inside line… the driver of car 12 is fully at fault.” Antonelli also received two penalty points on his racing license as a consequence of the incident.
Verstappen expressed empathy towards the 18-year-old rookie in the aftermath, stating, “Every driver has made a mistake like that… Kimi is a very big talent, so he learns from that and that’s all fine.”
The incident serves as a significant learning moment for Antonelli as he continues to navigate his debut season in Formula 1. The Mercedes team will look to capitalize on lessons learned as they head into the Silverstone race next weekend.
Key Data:
- Penalty: Three-place grid drop for British GP
- Incident: Collision with Max Verstappen, both cars retired
- Penalties: Two points on Antonelli’s license
- Steward Verdict: Antonelli fully at fault
Context: The British GP will take place next Sunday, providing Antonelli a critical opportunity to bounce back following this setback.
