The FIA has decided to punish the Italian driver with a 10-second time penalty: here is the REASON for Antonelli’s penalty
A poor start and contact with Hadjar: Kimi Antonelli’s first lap in the China Sprint Race was a disaster. The weekend’s short race in China was thrilling, filled with numerous overtakes and duels, and Kimi himself was a key protagonist. He managed to climb back from the middle of the pack after a disappointing start to reach third position, eventually finishing fifth after serving his penalty.
Contact with Hadjar: WHAT HAPPENED
The driver of the Mercedes number 12 started from second position, aiming to overtake his teammate sitting one spot ahead of him. However, Antonelli released the clutch poorly, and after just a few meters, he found himself overtaken by several cars, getting “bottled up in traffic.”
He even fell behind Isack Hadjar, the Red Bull driver who started from tenth. After avoiding contact through the first complex of corners (from Turn 1 to Turn 4), Kimi found himself side-by-side with the Frenchman approaching Turn 6. Upon reaching the braking point, the Italian missed the apex, running wide and hitting the front right of the Red Bull, causing damage.
The FIA’s decision was a 10-second penalty, as Antonelli’s move was deemed quite reckless and caused issues for his opponent.
Photo: Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team
