Fred Vasseur Praises Kimi Antonelli's "Right Reaction" to Leclerc Crash

Why it matters

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur commended Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli for his "right reaction" and prompt apology after colliding with Charles Leclerc at the Dutch Grand Prix. This incident, resulting in a double DNF for Ferrari, sparked discussions about racing etiquette and young driver pressure.

The incident details

On lap 53 at Zandvoort, Antonelli attempted an overtake on Leclerc at the banked Turn 3. Diving down the inside, he understeered into the side of the Ferrari, sending Leclerc into the barriers and ending his race. Antonelli received a 10-second penalty for the incident.

• Vasseur's perspective: "He came and apologised to me as Charles wasn’t there. I appreciate this – it can happen. It’s not easy to overtake in Zandvoort; you must take risks. He took a risk, made a mistake, and apologised. That’s the right reaction. For me, it was a racing incident."
• Vasseur agreed the 10-second penalty was sufficient.

Antonelli's take

Antonelli expressed regret and acknowledged the difficulty of overtaking at the circuit, which led him to take a risk.

• "I just saw it and it's a shame because the pace was good, we were coming back in front."
• "I just tried to move, but it was a bit too much. When I saw he was coming back in front, I tried to let it go but it was not enough."
• "I went for it because it's so difficult to overtake. The more laps you do in dirty air, the more it hurts your tyre and your pace."
• He added: "Obviously I feel sorry to him. Next time I'll probably think twice before making the move. Unless I'm 100% sure I'm going to stick it."

Looking ahead

Ferrari aims to move past the disappointing double DNF from the Dutch Grand Prix and focus on its home race, the Italian Grand Prix, at Monza on September 5-7.