Isack Hadjar dismissed Kimi Antonelli’s post-race apology with a sharp wave during a tense exchange captured on camera at the Shanghai Sprint.

Collision at the Start

Hadjar dropped to 15th place, far from the points, after sustaining damage in the first corner on the opening lap. Antonelli braked late, locked his front wheels, and collided with the side of Hadjar’s Red Bull car, sending debris flying and forcing Hadjar off track.

The impact robbed Hadjar of pace throughout the 19-lap race, preventing any points challenge as he fell five spots from his 10th starting position.

Stewards issued Antonelli a 10-second time penalty, which dropped him from second to fifth in his Mercedes after a late pit stop under safety car conditions.

Parc Ferme Standoff

Onboard footage from Hadjar’s Red Bull revealed Antonelli approaching in parc ferme. Still seated in the cockpit, Hadjar waved away the Italian’s outstretched hand of apology.

Hadjar Voices Frustration

In post-race TV interviews, Hadjar explained his anger partly stemmed from the damaged floor, which limited Red Bull’s data collection on the RB22’s performance with soft tires at Shanghai International Circuit.

The Frenchman stated: “We wanted to understand how the soft was going to perform, and with a completely destroyed floor, we can’t work. I don’t understand why he’s overexcited like that when he’s got a rocketship and will recover regardless… Anyway, it happens.”

Wolff’s Take on the Incident

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff acknowledged Antonelli’s responsibility for the crash but questioned the penalty’s severity. He said: “Clearly his fault, [but] I think 10 seconds is a bit harsh, relatively harsh. But at the end of the day it also cost Hadjar his position, or even his race. The stewards are in a difficult position when it comes to judging something like that, in my opinion.”

Wolff later criticized Hadjar’s response, calling it “unsportsmanlike” after reviewing the footage. He added: “That’s not how it should be, waving him away.”