Kimi Antonelli revealed that he ended up with a damaged car after the incident during the restart of the São Paulo Formula 1 Grand Prix. The competitor commented after the race how the steering wheel was affected by the collision.
In the race at Interlagos, a safety car was necessary early on in the first lap due to a tangle between Gabriel Bortoleto and Lance Stroll. The car remained on the track until lap 7, when the restart occurred.
At that moment, Oscar Piastri, Kimi, and Charles Leclerc also ended up colliding, with the McLaren driver being penalized and the Monegasque Ferrari driver abandoning the race.
Antonelli managed to stay on the track, defended himself against Max Verstappen in the final laps, and crossed the finish line in second place. However, the car did not escape damage from the earlier collision.
“I was lucky to come out unscathed, because obviously, I hit Charles hard. Unfortunately, I ended his race, but on my part, I was lucky not to suffer too much damage,” he said in a press conference.
“The car suffered minor damage. I think the steering wheel was not entirely straight, but I was very lucky to come out unscathed and be able to continue the race,” he concluded.
