Jamie Chadwick points to 'Kimi Antonelli of old' after Baku qualifying mistake

Sky Sports Formula 1 pundit Jamie Chadwick has claimed that Kimi Antonelli's crash during qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was a return to old habits, branding his Q1 shunt an unnecessary risk given Mercedes' pace.

Antonelli, who currently leads the drivers' championship by 81 points over his team-mate George Russell, prematurely ended his qualifying session after clipping the wall on the unforgiving streets of the Baku City Circuit.

The damage sustained to the front-left of the car meant his qualifying was over as his team-mate and closest championship rival went on to secure pole position.

"I say it's uncharacteristic. The way we see Kimi drive a lot of the time is that there's one gear. It's all in. It's all everything," Chadwick explained during the Sky Sports broadcast.

"Last year we saw that come with mistakes and crashes. This year we have not really seen that from him. So it has felt a bit like Kimi of old in a way and it was like that one gear and he just didn't really need to do it.

"That said, I think it is easy to make mistakes like that, we know that at a track like this. But you are in a Mercedes that was clearly in a league of its own at this track, first lap of Q1, you didn't need to take that much risk.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

"It just caught him out, the grip that he clearly had at Turn 1. You go into qualifying, and the car is always a bit more alive I guess than it would have been for him in FP3, and it has caught him out. He will pay the price, but I think he can still come through tomorrow."

Antonelli will start the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from 16th on the grid. Despite the starting position, 1997 F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve backed the Italian driver to make his way back through the field.

"It's not an inch, it's a lot. An incredible mistake and he does it on a weekend where his team-mate is in a league of his own," the Canadian told Sky Sports F1.

"So, not the best of times for that, but with the current rules they facilitate getting back through the field."

Photos from F1 Azerbaijan GP - Friday

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