Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes confirmed that he has resolved tensions with Isack Hadjar following their collision during the Sprint race at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix.
The incident occurred during the 100 km Sprint when Antonelli was deemed responsible for contact with Hadjar, resulting in a 10-second time penalty from the stewards. The collision significantly impacted Hadjar’s race and led to a tense post-race exchange between the two drivers.
On-board footage from Hadjar’s Red Bull Racing car captured the moment in parc fermé where Antonelli approached to apologise. However, Hadjar, still reacting emotionally to the incident, waved away the gesture from the cockpit.
Antonelli later took full responsibility for the clash, emphasising that there was no intent behind the contact.
“Of course it was my mistake because I ran into him. It was not on purpose, and I damaged his race,” Antonelli stated.
“I took responsibility straight away and went to apologise after the race. He was in the heat of the moment. We know how Isack is sometimes in those situations, so I wasn’t too concerned.”
He confirmed that both drivers had since reconciled during the drivers’ parade ahead of the main Grand Prix.
“Yeah, we spoke today during the drivers’ parade and everything is fine now,” he added.
With relations restored, Antonelli delivered a standout performance in the Grand Prix, securing his maiden Formula 1 victory. The Italian capitalised on race dynamics as teammate George Russell engaged in battles with Scuderia Ferrari, allowing Antonelli to build a decisive lead.
He also faced early pressure from Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time World Champion now racing for Ferrari and the driver Antonelli replaced at Mercedes. Despite losing track position at the start, Antonelli recovered through superior race pace.
“The start is still our weak point, and I didn’t go in with much confidence because my previous starts were not good,” Antonelli explained.
“But the pace was strong, especially on the hard tyres. Even though I relaxed a bit too much towards the end and made a mistake, I managed to bring it home.”
The mistake referenced came in the closing stages, when Antonelli experienced a lock-up and briefly ran wide at Turn 14, inviting pressure from rivals. In that moment, guidance from race engineer Peter Bonnington proved crucial in maintaining composure.
Antonelli highlighted the race as a significant learning experience, particularly in maintaining focus under pressure.
“There’s a lot I learned, but the key thing is never to relax too much. Today it went well, but it could have gone differently,” he said.
“I need to stay focused at all times. Also, understanding procedures like tyre warm-up and managing the tyres in cold conditions was a big lesson.”
The victory marks a major milestone in Antonelli’s career and strengthens Mercedes’ competitive position in the 2026 championship. At the same time, the earlier clash with Hadjar underlines the intensity of competition among Formula 1’s emerging generation.
With tensions resolved and momentum firmly on his side, Antonelli now turns his attention to the next round at Suzuka, where consistency and execution will again be critical in shaping the championship battle.
Baca Juga
Kimi Antonelli akui kesalahan usai insiden dengan Isack Hadjar di Sprint GP China 2026, sebelum bangkit meraih kemenangan Grand Prix pertamanya.
Max Verstappen mendapat izin Red Bull tampil di Nurburgring 24 Jam 2026, dengan dukungan penuh Laurent Mekies dan fokus eksplorasi karier.
Oliver Bearman jelaskan nyaris tabrakan dengan Isack Hadjar di GP China 2026, insiden spin dan strategi Haas berujung finis P5.
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