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Martin Brundle on Kimi Antonelli crash Italian GP FP1

Brundle: 'Now we can find out if Antonelli is really like Schumacher'

30 August at 18:57
  • Kada Sarkozi
  • Editor

Andrea Kimi Antonelli's home F1 debut in free practice one for the Italian Grand Prix did not go according to plan. The Mercedes junior lost his (or George Russell's car) in Parabolica, that resulted in a high-impact crash. Former F1 driver and Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle reacted to the incident in Monza.

Ten minutes into Free Practice 1, on a flying lap, Andrea Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes snapped and as a result crashed into the tyre barrier in Parabolica. With a crash that was 52 Gs, the Italian could get out of the car without any injuries. "It was the last thing he or the team needed. They haven't got any data, the car's damaged, his confidence will be damaged. Mercedes want to present him as the star of the future. He pushed very, very hard early on. And he was expecting too much too soon. It's such a shame. I admire his confidence, but he needed to play himself in somewhat more carefully than that," former Formula One driver Martin Brundle reacted to the incident.

'If he can repeat what Michael did...'

The pundit however, also sees this to be a good opportunity for the Italian youngster to bounce back. "If he's as we're... told, sort of Schumacher, Senna, Max Verstappen level, he'll just bounce off. I'll never forget watching Michael Schumacher smash up Nelson Piquet's Benetton. And we're like, 'now we'll see how good Michael Schumacher is'. Got back in his own one and the next lap was fastest of anybody because he had that supreme confidence to go with his talent. And we'll find out whether young Antonelli is the same," the Briton shared an anecdote.

After his crash in Russell's car, Antonelli jumped into his Formula 2 Prema car for qualifying. He finished in P6 ahead of teammate Oliver Bearman, as Zane Maloney claimed pole position in that category. According to Toto Wolff, Mercedes are yet to decide where Antonelli will drive a Formula One car next, but he named Mexico as a possibility.