Antonelli on emotions after crash with Verstappen: 'I wasn't trying to make excuses'

11:14, 04 Jul

Updated: 11:42, 04 Jul

byEstéban den Toom

It was not the Austrian Grand Prix that Max Verstappen and Andrea Kimi Antonelli had hoped for. During the first round of the race on Sunday, Antonelli caused a quick end to his own race but also to that of the Dutchman. The Mercedes driver felt quite bad, as he told on Thursday in Silverstone.

Antonelli was asked about the crash with Verstappen a week earlier in the presence of GPblog. "

"I think it's to first of all show respect and to show that I recognize the mistake and I wasn't trying to make any excuses, you know, I think it was first of all a way to show that I recognized the mistake and I wasn't trying to make any excuses. I think it was a first of all way to show respect towards him and because obviously, I felt very, very sorry for what happened."

"Obviously, taking him out, of course, was not on purpose. I was just trying to save the situation and then ended up hitting him. And, of course, I felt very sorry because, first of all, it was bad for me because I scored zero points and then obviously ended his race as well," the young Italian concluded on the question. Antonelli has received a grid penalty for the action on Verstappen in Spielberg at the Red Bull Ring.

Grid penalty for Antonelli in England

The stewards decided that Antonelli was given a three-place grid penalty for the next race he participated in. That will be for the British Grand Prix. If the Mercedes driver puts his car in pole position, he will, therefore, start in fourth place because of the grid penalty. Juan Pablo Montoya did not understand why Verstappen remained so calm after the crash with Antonelli. "If you want to read between the lines, why was Verstappen so nice to Antonelli after the crash? Are they already teammates?"