Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli weighed in on the moments leading up to the race-defining F1 Dutch GP crash with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, for which the young Italian has accepted full blame.
Antonelli was on course for a good result during Sunday’s F1 Dutch GP when his so-far strong race unraveled on Lap 52.
The crash
Having pitted on Lap 51, Antonelli was on a charge, hoping to undercut the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.
Leclerc, who had just come out of the pits, in reaction to the Mercedes driver’s undercut attempt, slotted in just ahead of the young Italian.
“He [Lelcerc] came back right in front of me,” Antonelli describes the moment leading up to the incident when talking following the conclusion of the F1 Dutch GP.
“He had a cold tyre, so I could see already out of the pit lane, he was wheel spinning, so already before the banking.
“I was thinking about making the move, and I carried a lot more speed into Turn 2, and then I was actually right behind him.
“Then I tried to make the move, but yeah, it’s just a shame, so yeah, I feel sorry to Charles [Leclerc] and to the team.”
The accident occurred as the fighting duo arrived in the banked Turn 3.
Antonelli took the inside line but then drifted upward, hitting Leclerc and causing him to spin into the barrier.
While Leclerc’s race ended there, the 19-year-old Mercedes driver was able to continue after a pit stop.
The Stewards found Antonelli to be at fault for the accident and slapped him with a 10-second time penalty, which saw him finish the race in P16.
Antonelli accepts blame
During media rounds following the F1 Dutch GP, Antonelli accepted full blame for the accident, which he had tried to avoid.
“It’s a shame, obviously.
“It’s not nice to end up like this, especially after a really strong race.
“The pace was really good, and we were moving forward.
“Then I tried to move, and it was a bit unfortunate because I was trying to keep it tight, and then obviously I couldn’t avoid pulling, and I tried to avoid, as much as possible, the contact.
“It also came down a bit from the banking, so that was on me.
“It’s a shame to end up like this.
“Now we move forward.”
