Antonelli has bone to pick with Piastri: 'So, you can do whatever you want'

12:15, 04 May

byNorberto Mujica

Andrea Kimi Antonelli qualified in P1 for the sprint, a short lived honour, as it turned out, after he crossed paths with McLaren driver Oscar Piastri at the start at Turn 1.

At the start of the sprint race in Miami, Piastri got a better start than Antonelli, taking the inside line into Turn 1. As the Italian tried to hang it around the outside, the McLaren driver got his elbows out, giving his Mercedes counterpart a nudge out of the track. A move which cost him valuable places.

The Italian rues the missed opportunity during the sprint race, but, the quick learner that he is, he is now better prepared for the start of the F1 race in Miami.

"It was a shame. Obviously, it was a great opportunity. I'm a bit annoyed about lap 1 with how I went. It seems like it's like this, that you can do basically whatever you want. It's good to know for the future. It's a shame, but luckily we have a qualifying to bounce back," said Antonelli on Sky Sports.

It was a sprint format of first times for Antonelli

The young Mercedes rookie won't soon forget the lesson he learned from Piastri. Ultimately, for Antonelli it is now much clearer what is and isn't allowed in F1 racing. However, he looks to measure himself adding a dash of intelligence to his planned 'aggression'.

"Definitely, I have a lot more clearance on what I have to do in lap one for tomorrow, but obviously it's a different starting position. I have two cars in front, so it's going to be important to play it smart and aggressive as well, but the good amount. And then, yeah, we'll see what's going to happen there at the front, but I'll try to take every opportunity."