Max Verstappen had scored points in the previous 31 F1 races, and 74 of the past 75 Max Verstappen said "every driver has made a mistake like that" after he was torpedoed into retirement by Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli in the Austrian Grand Prix. Antonelli misjudged the third corner of the race and smashed into Verstappen's Red Bull, taking both out of the race. Verstappen said: "Kimi is a very big talent, so he learns from that, you know, and that's all fine." Antonelli apologised to Verstappen immediately after the incident, and the Dutchman said: "It's, of course, very nice. But, for me, it was already case closed anyway. I saw what happened. No-one does these things on their own purpose. It can happen." The Italian rookie has been given a three-place grid penalty for next weekend's British Grand Prix for causing a collision. Antonelli was caught unawares by cars braking in front of him and instead of going to the outside of the track, he turned towards the inside, where hitting another car was always likely to happen. "I didn't brake necessarily too late, when I braked I locked the rears and I lost the car and I lost the rear," the 18-year-old told BBC Radio 5 Live. "I had to then avoid [Racing Bulls' Liam] Lawson and I was just trying to slow down the car because obviously I had a big moment and I then locked up the front-left. "I tried as much as possible to slow down the car, but unfortunately it was Max and I hit him. I am sorry towards him and the team as well because it was a mistake." Verstappen's retirement, coupled with a one-two for McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, was a significant blow to the Dutchman in the drivers' championship. The world champion is 61 points behind Piastri, whose lead over Norris was cut to 15 points by the Briton with his third victory of the season. Verstappen said: "I was never thinking about that anyway. So, yeah, we just take it race by race. And we try to just find more performance with the car. Try to learn from all the things that we are doing. And then, we'll see what happens." Asked what he thought of his prospects for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone next weekend, he said: "Normally, (we are) a bit better in the high, high speed (corners). But, I mean, the pace of McLaren is insane. So, I'm not saying that we are going to beat them in Silverstone." And he said that while Red Bull have further upgrades coming to add to the tweak to the floor edge introduced in Austria, he was not coincident they would enable him to regularly fight for wins. "There are bits coming,' Verstappen said. "Is it enough to challenge McLaren? I'm not sure yet. Probably not. "But, I also don't want to sound depressed. I know that everyone in the team always gives it 100%. And, we keep pushing, keep learning, keep trying to bring more performance to the car. And, that's the only thing that we can do." The aftermath of the first-lap collision that ended the race for Verstappen and Antonelli
Verstappen 'all fine' with Antonelli after crash
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"Max Verstappen Comments on Collision with Kimi Antonelli at Austrian Grand Prix"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
Max Verstappen, the reigning Formula 1 champion, faced an unexpected early retirement during the Austrian Grand Prix after a collision with rookie driver Kimi Antonelli from Mercedes. This incident marked a significant moment in Verstappen's season, as he had previously scored points in 31 consecutive races and in 74 of the last 75. Antonelli misjudged his braking while navigating the third corner, which led to him crashing into Verstappen's Red Bull car. Following the incident, Verstappen expressed understanding, stating that every driver makes mistakes and emphasizing that Antonelli is a talented driver who will learn from this experience. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, Verstappen considered the matter resolved, noting that collisions are a part of racing and not intentional. Antonelli, acknowledging his error, received a three-place grid penalty for the upcoming British Grand Prix as a consequence of the collision, demonstrating the seriousness with which the FIA takes such incidents in Formula 1.
The aftermath of the crash had significant implications for Verstappen's championship standings, as he now trails McLaren's Oscar Piastri by 61 points, with Piastri's teammate Lando Norris also not far behind. Verstappen, however, maintained a positive outlook, stating that he was focused on improving the team's performance rather than dwelling on the championship gap. He acknowledged the impressive pace of the McLaren cars and expressed uncertainty about whether upcoming upgrades to his car would be sufficient to challenge them at the British Grand Prix. Verstappen's comments highlighted the ongoing competitive nature of the sport and his commitment to pushing the limits of his team's capabilities. As he prepares for Silverstone, Verstappen remains determined to enhance his performance and that of his team, reflecting a resilient attitude in the face of adversity within the highly competitive arena of Formula 1 racing.
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