Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli has been handed a three-place grid penalty for the British Grand Prix following a collision with Max Verstappen in Austria. The 18-year-old driver locked up his brakes, causing him to lose control and collide with Verstappen’s Red Bull.
The incident occurred on Sunday’s opening lap and resulted in significant damage to both cars, forcing them to retire from the race. Verstappen was left reeling, with Antonelli’s mistake dealing a major blow to his title hopes.
Antonelli apologized to Verstappen after the crash, but the stewards took a dim view of the incident. They stated that Antonelli “made a mistake” by locking up his rear wheels, but also acknowledged that he was trying to avoid a collision with another car. The stewards ultimately deemed him at fault for the incident.
Verstappen accepted Antonelli’s apology, saying it was “unlucky.” However, on team radio, he initially expressed frustration, calling Antonelli an “idiot.” Despite the penalty, Antonelli showed remorse for his actions, stating that he felt sorry to Verstappen and his team.
Source: https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/45609002/austrian-gp-kimi-antonelli-handed-silverstone-grid-drop-max-verstappen-crash