In a shocking turn of events at the Austrian Grand Prix, Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, has opened up about his conversation with Kimi Antonelli following a dramatic collision with Max Verstappen on the first lap of the race.
During a heart-stopping moment at the Red Bull Ring, 18-year-old Antonelli found himself in a nerve-wracking situation as he approached the third corner. Misjudging the braking zone, he was forced to swerve to avoid crashing into Liam Lawson but ended up careening into both the New Zealander and Verstappen, causing significant damage to their cars.
Despite Verstappen managing to salvage a sixth-place finish, both Antonelli and the Red Bull driver were forced to retire from the race due to the extensive damage incurred during the collision.
Wolff, in a post-race interview, hinted that there might have been a technical issue at play, providing a shield for his young driver. “These mistakes happen,” Wolff stated. “The rears locked on the car. I’m not entirely sure it was his fault or a system. It’s unfortunate, unfortunate for Max and Red Bull that Kimi hit him, but that’s racing.”
The Mercedes boss emphasized the need for a thorough investigation to uncover the root cause of the incident, keeping the door open for any potential explanations for Antonelli’s error on the track.
The high-stakes drama and intense competition at the Austrian Grand Prix have once again showcased the unforgiving nature of Formula 1 racing, where split-second decisions can make or break a driver’s performance on the track.
