Max Verstappen surprises by naming Kimi Antonelli as his heir after Austria GP crash. Max Verstappen seems to have chosen his heir..

After the incident with Kimi Antonelli at the start of the Austrian GP, Max Verstappen seems to have chosen his heir.

Max Verstappen’s reaction following the crash with Kimi Antonelli at the start of the Austrian Grand Prix surprised almost everyone. He showed no visible frustration, opting instead to approach the young Mercedes talent for an explanation—an attitude far removed from the aggressive ‘Mad Max’ persona fans had come to expect.

Until recently, we might have witnessed a furious Max Verstappen confronting Kimi Antonelli face to face, especially considering that the Red Bull Ring is, in many ways, his home race. Instead, Max displayed a mature and perhaps resigned demeanor, likely aware that winning the world title with the current Red Bull car is no longer realistic.

Carlo Vanzini’s take on the incident
During his regular paddock commentary, Carlo Vanzini shared his thoughts on the start of the race, offering an intriguing perspective. “I think Max Verstappen has chosen his heir, and it’s Kimi Antonelli. Because he got out of the car and didn’t lash out at him. Then in interviews, he defended him, praised him, and even forgave him. I believe Max sees his own talent in Kimi. It was a beautiful gesture from Verstappen toward Antonelli,” said the Sky Sport commentator after the race.

“Does the image remind you of Senna with Schumacher? Ayrton was slightly less calm than Max, but yes, the idea is similar. I saw one champion recognizing another and explaining a few things to him,” Carlo Vanzini added at the end of the Austrian Grand Prix.