Verstappen defends Antonelli after Baku qualifying crash: 'People forget how young he is'

Kimi Antonelli’s otherwise impressive 2025 Formula 1 season hit a rare bump in Baku on Friday, when the Mercedes driver and championship leader crashed into the inside wall at Turn 1 during his second Q1 push lap, ending his qualifying session prematurely and dropping him to 16th on the grid for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Antonelli, who had been particularly strong through the European leg of the season — an area that had troubled him in 2024 — said he was caught out by shifting track conditions, specifically by how much front-end grip he had when he turned in on that lap. He was visibly frustrated with himself afterwards.

Max Verstappen, however, was quick to offer context. Asked about the incident, the Red Bull driver pointed to Antonelli’s age as a factor that observers too easily overlook.

“Something like that can happen. Obviously this sucks for him, but he is still very young,” Verstappen said. “Maybe people forget that sometimes, also in the way they talk about him this season. But this is a learning moment and it’s simply part of the process.”

Verstappen did acknowledge that such errors cannot become a habit, particularly with George Russell still within striking distance in the standings. “You can’t afford to do it too often, of course, but with his speed I think it will all be fine. He will be the most frustrated about it himself, but Kimi still has every opportunity to score very good points on Saturday.”

The damage to Antonelli’s title lead remains limited for now. He holds an 81-point cushion over his closest rival, and Mercedes’ pace around the Baku street circuit is expected to give him a strong platform for recovery. Russell, for his part, was characteristically wry when asked about the prospect of a comeback drive from his team-mate, referencing Antonelli’s stunning victory at Monza earlier this season, when the Italian started 19th and still won.

“You can’t discount Kimi,” Russell said. “He started 19th in Monza and now he’s in 16th, so he should be leading by a few laps earlier this time.”

The incident is a reminder that, for all the maturity Antonelli has shown in his debut season, he is still navigating the steepest part of the learning curve in the most competitive championship in motorsport.