Max Verstappen was left fuming after a dramatic collision forced him out of the Austrian Grand Prix, with the reigning World Champion directing his rage at Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli, calling the young driver a “f***ing idiot” over team radio.
The incident occurred during the latter stages of the race at the Red Bull Ring, as Verstappen—who had been battling near the front—attempted to reclaim lost ground following a poorly timed pit stop. While making an aggressive move into Turn 3, Verstappen tangled with Antonelli, who was defending his position in just his fourth Formula 1 appearance.
The contact resulted in Verstappen’s RB20 spinning off into the gravel, causing irreparable damage and forcing the Dutchman to retire from the race. Moments later, a furious Verstappen shouted over the radio, “What the f*** was he doing? F***ing idiot!” His frustration was evident, both at the crash and at seeing valuable championship points slip away.
Kimi Antonelli, 17, who is filling in for Mercedes this season amid a shake-up in their driver lineup, managed to finish the race but was hit with a post-race penalty for causing a collision. The stewards deemed Antonelli “predominantly at fault” for the incident, citing that he failed to leave enough space as Verstappen attempted the overtake.
Speaking after the race, Verstappen was still visibly angry. “I know he’s young, but this is Formula 1. You can’t just move under braking like that and expect nothing to happen. It’s dangerous. We’re fighting for a championship here.”
Antonelli, who has been under immense scrutiny since his sudden rise to F1, remained composed in his response: “I didn’t mean to cause an accident. It was a tight corner, and I thought I left enough room. I’ll look at the data and learn from it.”
The crash marks a significant turning point in the 2025 championship battle. Verstappen, who had been in a close points race with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, now faces a steeper climb as Leclerc took full advantage of the chaos to claim a podium finish and extend his lead in the standings.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner defended his driver post-race, stating: “Max was clearly ahead going into the corner. It’s unfortunate, and I think the stewards got it right. We just hope incidents like this don’t become a pattern.”
With the British Grand Prix just a week away, tensions between Red Bull and Mercedes are once again boiling over—this time fueled by a fiery clash between a three-time world champion and a teenage prodigy still trying to find his place in the sport.
