Kimi Antonelli has provided insight into the crash that involved Max Verstappen during the Austrian Grand Prix, attributing the incident to a series of technical issues rather than a simple mistake. After reviewing his Max Verstappen crash data analysis, Antonelli explained that despite braking at a similar point to his Mercedes teammate George Russell, the locking of his rear tires caused a chain reaction, which ultimately led to his collision with Verstappen at Turn 3. This revelation came as Antonelli prepared for the British Grand Prix, seeking to better understand and overcome the challenges that caused the crash.
The Austrian race proved difficult for Verstappen as he started from seventh position due to an unfortunate late Q3 yellow flag triggered by Pierre Gasly’s spin. Verstappen’s race ended early when Antonelli, struggling with control, misjudged Turn 3 and collided with Verstappen’s Red Bull, eliminating both drivers from the race. For Antonelli, who has experienced a relatively steady rookie season, the crash was a setback. However, he noted that an earlier crash at Monza during FP1 had been even more challenging emotionally, given it occurred in front of his home fans.
Dissecting the Technical Issues Behind the Crash
Antonelli provided a detailed explanation of his braking sequence and errors that contributed to the collision. He emphasized that his braking point was not late compared to George Russell’s, but complications arose from being closely tucked in behind Liam Lawson’s car. The reduced aerodynamic load while in Lawson’s slipstream led Antonelli to lock the rear tires first, causing his car to oversteer and forcing him to release the brake pedal to avoid spinning. This sudden release required him to steer away from Lawson to avoid contact.
Attempting to correct his position, Antonelli then braked again but found himself on the dirty side of the track, which caused him to lock the front tires. This rapid sequence of errors unfolded quickly, leaving little room to react and resulting in the collision with Verstappen. Antonelli reflected that in hindsight, choosing a wider line at that moment might have compromised his track position slightly but could have kept him in the race.
“I obviously re-looked at the data, and in terms of braking point, I didn’t break late, because I compared to George, and we broke roughly in the same point.”
— Kimi Antonelli, F1 Driver
“But the thing is that I was quite close. I was in the slipstream of [Liam] Lawson, and obviously when you’re behind a car, you have a lot less load. So it meant that when I went to brake, I had a lot less downforce on the car and I started to lock the rears.”
— Kimi Antonelli, F1 Driver
“I locked the rear first of all, and that’s why, when I had the oversteer moment, because of that, I had to release the brake, because otherwise I’d spin, and because I released the brake, now I need to avoid Lawson because otherwise I’d run into his back.”
— Kimi Antonelli, F1 Driver
“And then when I realised I was again in a decent position with the car, when I went to brake again, now I was on the dirty side, and I just locked the front. It happened so quick that it was really hard.”
— Kimi Antonelli, F1 Driver
Reflection on Previous Crashes and Lessons Learned
Antonelli openly compared the Verstappen crash to a previous, more severe incident at Monza during 2024’s FP1, where he hit the Parabolica wall in front of a home crowd. He described that crash as the worst moment in his career to date but acknowledged the importance of difficult experiences in building resilience and strength. The challenging triple-header of races leading up to Austria provided Antonelli with valuable learning opportunities that helped him emotionally and mentally reset for subsequent events.
“But definitely, these are all episodes that obviously you don’t want to happen, because, in some ways, they kind of hurt you as well, but they also make you stronger and when you get to the moment again, the difficult moment, you’re able to react in a much better way.”
— Kimi Antonelli, F1 Driver
Antonelli’s Outlook Ahead of the British Grand Prix
After analyzing the data and the causes behind his mistake, Antonelli expressed determination to improve his racecraft and start closer to the front in upcoming races. At the time of this analysis, he stood seventh in the Drivers’ Championship with 63 points, having claimed his first podium in Canada. The crash against Verstappen serves as a critical learning moment for the young driver as he aims to strengthen his performances and avoid similar incidents in the future.
“But of course, now we aim to start more at the front.”
— Kimi Antonelli, F1 Driver
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What gender is Max Verstappen’s baby?
A. Max Verstappen and Kelly Piquet shared that they have welcomed their first child, a baby girl, just before the Miami Grand Prix. The couple announced their new arrival to the world.
