Williams’ Carlos Sainz faced a dramatic and premature end to his Austrian Grand Prix before the start even got underway. During the formation lap at the Red Bull Ring, Sainz’s car developed a mechanical problem, resulting in smoke or a fire.
Race officials immediately aborted the start and summoned the marshals to attend to the car. Sadly, Sainz was forced to retire from the race before it even began, recorded as a DNF (Did Not Finish).
This comes as a crushing blow for the Spanish driver, who had hoped to build momentum on his Williams debut this year. Instead, his weekend ended in disappointment after such a dramatic formation-lap issue.
Formula 1: Kimi Antonelli Takes Out Max Verstappen On Opening Lap Of Austrian Grand Prix; Video
Reigning Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen suffered a shocking early exit from the Austrian Grand Prix after being hit by rookie Kimi Antonelli on the very first lap of the race.
The dramatic incident occurred as drivers charged uphill toward Turn 3 at the Red Bull Ring. Antonelli, who had started in ninth position, appeared to misjudge his braking point while trying to avoid cars ahead. His Mercedes locked up, and he went straight into the back of Verstappen’s Red Bull at the apex of the corner.
Both cars were badly damaged and retired immediately. The crash brought out the safety car just minutes into the race. A furious Verstappen made his frustration clear over team radio, saying, “I’m out. I got hit like crazy. F****** idiots.”
The crash is a major blow to Verstappen’s chances of winning a fifth consecutive world championship. He came into the race already trailing Oscar Piastri by 43 points in the standings. With this DNF (Did Not Finish), the gap is expected to grow even further.
Antonelli, one of the most talked-about newcomers this season, will likely face scrutiny for the misjudged move that ended both his and Verstappen's races so early. With the championship fight heating up, Verstappen now faces an uphill battle to regain lost ground in the remaining races of the season.
