Carlos Sainz Reveals ‘Scary’ Moment Before Costly Kimi Antonelli Crash

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Highlights

Carlos Sainz collided with Kimi Antonelli on Lap 6 at US GP.
Sainz retired early; Antonelli finished 12th but set fastest lap.
Sainz received a five-place grid penalty for Mexico City GP.
Sainz admitted brake lock-up caused collision during overtaking attempt.
Williams’ team challenge hit due to lost points from incident.
Sainz aims to recover performance despite penalty at Mexican Grand Prix.

Carlos Sainz collides with Kimi Antonelli on lap six at Turn 16 in Austin, ending Sainz’s race. Antonelli continues, finishes 12th, and logs the fastest lap.

Stewards deem Sainz predominantly at fault and issue a five-place grid drop for Mexico City, plus two penalty points on his licence.

The incident follows Sainz passing Ollie Bearman at Turn 15. He closes quickly, dives inside Antonelli, locks the front brakes, and tags the Mercedes at corner entry.

Carlos Sainz’s Williams after contact with Kimi Antonelli at the United States Grand Prix — Image Credit: Motorsport

Sainz concedes the mistake: “When he closes, I lock up and get a bit scared. A small error brings big consequences.”

Five-place grid penalty for Mexico City, plus two penalty points on Sainz’s licence.

Turn 16’s wide apex encourages late moves, but responsibility remains with the overtaker to control the car. The lock-up removes margin and leaves Antonelli with little escape room.

For Williams, the retirement hurts a weekend trending upward. Sainz’s sprint third, the team’s best, shows genuine pace that now yields no Sunday points.

Antonelli’s fastest lap underlines Mercedes’ speed, yet traffic and damage limit recovery. Twelfth brings no points, but useful data on tyre behaviour and balance after gravel contact.

Carlos Sainz receives a grid penalty after colliding with Kimi Antonelli at Austin — Image Credit: Motorsport

Williams sits fifth in the standings on 111 points after Austin.

The penalty complicates Mexico strategy. A five-place drop likely places Sainz in midfield turbulence at altitude, increasing brake management, cooling demands, and exposure to first-lap variance.

Risk-reward shapes Sainz’s call. He targets seventh rather than banking eighth. The calculus suits ambition, but Williams’s championship position amplifies the cost of misjudgment.

“Sometimes you look like a hero, other times people will criticise you.” — Carlos Sainz

Both drivers must manage the racing line better at Austin’s open entries. Here, Sainz misreads the closure rate, and the stewards’ view aligns with the regulations on avoidable contact.

Attention now turns to Mexico City. Williams needs a clean execution, strategic flexibility, and track-position gains to offset the drop and protect momentum built through recent upgrades.

Visual Summary

The Fine Line Between Hero & Heartbreak

Safe
Risk

Sainz risked it for more points — but paid the price

⛔

Sainz OUT
Lap 6

⏱️

Antonelli
Fastest Lap

🔻5

Sainz
Grid Penalty

“Sometimes you look like a hero,
other times people will criticise you.
It’s a fine line in this sport.”

— Carlos Sainz

US GP Crash
Next: Mexican GP

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.