Andrea Kimi Antonelli regrets his daring overtaking maneuver on Charles Leclerc. The rookie attempted to pass the Monegasque in the Hugenholtz corner at Zandvoort, but instead collided with the rear of the SF-25. This marked the end of the Dutch GP for Leclerc. ‘Of course, I feel bad for Charles,’ the Mercedes driver explained afterwards.
After the Dutch GP, it’s uncertain how Andrea Kimi Antonelli feels heading into his home race at Monza. The Italian rookie tried to overtake Charles Leclerc, who drives for Italy’s pride, Ferrari, in lap 53. However, the overtaking attempt went awry, and Kimi Antonelli hit the back of the SF-25. Leclerc subsequently ended up in the barriers and was unable to finish his Dutch Grand Prix.
Now or Never
“I went for it because it’s so hard to overtake here,” Kimi Antonelli explains after the race. The Mercedes driver received a ten-second time penalty for his action, dropping him to sixteenth place. “The longer you drive in dirty air, the more detrimental it is to your tires and your pace. So, I went for it, but it was perhaps too aggressive.”
The Mercedes driver also immediately went to the Ferrari motorhome in the paddock to apologize after the race. “Of course, I feel bad for Charles,” Kimi Antonelli continues. “Next time, I’ll think twice. I won’t make another overtaking move until I’m one hundred percent sure I can actually pass a driver.”
