Antonelli's china sprint stalled by turbo issue, penalty

Kimi antonelli's promising Chinese Grand Prix sprint ended in P5 after a difficult start and a collision, a frustrating outcome for the Mercedes driver.

Turbo malfunction and contact cost antonelli time

Starting from the front row, the Italian hoped for a strong showing, but a compromised launch due to a faulty turbocharger immediately put him on the back foot. “The turbo wasn't ready at the start, and I risked stalling. I’ll have to review the procedure; something went wrong and affected the whole race,” antonelli explained.

The incident created further complications. While attempting to recover positions, Antonelli made contact with the Red Bull of Pierre Gasly. A race direction investigation followed, culminating in a 10-second penalty, just as Antonelli was closing in on the Ferrari drivers and a potential podium finish.