Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Kimi Antonelli says qualifying crash 'a good way to come back to earth'

Key Points:

• Kimi Antonelli described his qualifying crash at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as a "stupid" mistake, causing him to start 16th, which he sees as a reality check in his pursuit of his first world title.
• Antonelli's Mercedes suffered a hydraulic leak in practice, limiting his track time and contributing to his error during qualifying, while his teammate George Russell secured pole position with a dominant lap.
• Russell, 81 points behind Antonelli in the championship, acknowledged the Italian's rare mistake but remains optimistic about his chances, citing Antonelli's strong performances this season and past comebacks.
• Max Verstappen faced multiple technical issues during qualifying, including engine power loss and battery problems, resulting in an eighth-place start despite strong practice pace, which he admitted was disappointing.
• The Baku street circuit's long straight offers overtaking opportunities, and Russell highlighted Verstappen as a potential threat in the race alongside Antonelli, despite the latter's setback.