Andrea Kimi Antonelli has confirmed the three-place grid penalty he received at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver was sanctioned for failing to slow sufficiently under yellow flags during qualifying at the Hungaroring.
The incident occurred after Max Verstappen spun his Red Bull RB22 in the final corner, bringing out the yellow flags. Antonelli, who had qualified fourth, was subsequently demoted to seventh on the starting grid for the race.
In addition to the grid drop, Antonelli also received one penalty point on his FIA Super Licence. Stewards noted that while he did lift off the throttle, the reduction in speed was deemed insufficient and unsustained.
Despite this penalty, Antonelli currently leads the 2026 Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship. He has secured six victories from 12 races this season, holding a 50-point advantage over Lewis Hamilton.
Speaking ahead of the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, Antonelli addressed the competitive landscape. He specifically mentioned Max Verstappen, stating that the Red Bull driver can never be ruled out.
‘You can never rule out Max [Verstappen]. They will definitely be in the fight as well,’ Antonelli stated during a press session.
Verstappen himself has praised Antonelli’s performance during the current season. The four-time World Champion described the 19-year-old’s efforts as ‘rock solid’ and ‘really impressive’.
Verstappen noted Antonelli has been ‘the strongest in the team’ at Mercedes. This assessment came despite a challenging 2026 season for Red Bull Racing, which has faced aerodynamic and reliability issues.
Verstappen currently sits sixth in the drivers’ standings, 110 points behind Antonelli. He secured a second-place finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix, a result he described as ‘incredible’ given Red Bull’s ongoing struggles.
Earlier this week, Verstappen confirmed a contract extension with Red Bull Racing, committing his future to the team until the end of the 2030 season. This announcement was made prior to the Dutch Grand Prix weekend.
The Formula 1 season resumes this weekend with the Dutch Grand Prix, where Antonelli will aim to extend his championship lead. McLaren and Ferrari are also expected to present strong challenges.
