Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli finished third in the Austrian Grand Prix after going off the track three times in the opening laps. The championship leader started from fourth but lost positions early before recovering.
Antonelli carried too much speed into Turn 1 on the first lap and went over the sausage kerb. He repeated the error at Turn 3 and then lost ground while attempting to pass Charles Leclerc on lap two.
The Italian driver ended up behind teammate George Russell, who won the race, and Max Verstappen. Antonelli said the opening laps cost him dearly and that he struggled with braking throughout the first stint.
Russell took pole after Antonelli aborted his final qualifying lap, mistaking single yellow flags for double yellows following a Verstappen crash. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff noted that Antonelli's aggressive approach in the early corners led to the lost positions.
