The red flag triggered by Max Verstappen’s crash in Q1 of qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne has unexpectedly brought Kimi Antonelli back into contention.
Antonelli had earlier crashed during Free Practice 3 (FP3), which initially raised doubts about whether the Mercedes rookie would be able to take part fully in qualifying. The team had been working in the garage to repair the damage before the start of the session.
However, the red flag stoppage during Q1 has given Mercedes additional time to complete the necessary repairs, meaning Antonelli should now be able to return to the track once the session resumes.
The stoppage came after Verstappen crashed into the barriers early in Q1, forcing race control to halt the session while marshals cleared debris and inspected the barriers.
With extra time now available during the red flag period, the Mercedes crew have a valuable opportunity to finish rebuilding Antonelli’s car, potentially allowing him to set a lap time and continue his qualifying attempt at Albert Park.