Antonelli ‘lucky’ to survive tangle with rivals at Brazil GP

09:59, 12 Nov

byBen Winship

Kimi Antonelli survived a three-car tangle, which he said may have left him with steering damage, to achieve a career-best P2 at the Brazil GP.

“I was lucky to come away with not such a big damage.”

- Kimi Antonelli

The Mercedes rookie was caught in the middle of Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc, when the three collided at the safety car restart.

Piastri locked-up and pitted Antonelli into the Ferrari of Leclerc, who suffered terminal damage and retired from the race.

Speaking after the race Antonelli said: “I accelerated a little bit on the wet patch, so I got wheelspin and lost momentum going into turn one.

“I found myself in a very difficult position because I had one car on the outside and one car on the inside. I tried to brake late, not too late.

“The problem is I didn't see the car next to me anymore. I still tried to do a decent line for the position I was in. And yeah, ended up getting hit.”

Oscar Piastri, Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc crash at the restart of the Brazil GP. Photo: F1TV feed.

Antonelli believed he was fortunate to continue more or less unscathed after the incident.

“I was lucky to come away like that, because obviously I hit Charles quite hard.

“Unfortunately, I ended his race, but on my side, I was lucky to come away with not such a big damage.

“I had a minor damage on the car. I think the steering wheel was not fully straight, but I was very lucky to come away with it and to be able to continue my race.”

Antonelli's strongest weekend yet

Brazil was arguably Antonelli’s strongest weekend in his Formula One career so far. He finished P2 in every competitive session during the weekend, behind Lando Norris each time.

The Italian impressed Mercedes boss Toto Wolff when he held off a charging Max Verstappen on fresher tyres in the closing stages of the race.

Brazil was Antonelli’s second podium in F1 having earned his maiden trophy at the Canadian GP in June.

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