Unimpressed Carlos Sainz tells Kimi Antonelli to ‘calm down’ after radio insult in F1 Belgian GP practice

Carlos Sainz has told Formula 1 championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli to “calm down” after being branded an “idiot” by the Mercedes driver during Belgian Grand Prix practice. 

Tensions flared in opening practice at Spa-Francorchamps after a close moment between Antonelli and Sainz on the run through Blanchimont as they squabbled over track position. 

“Sainz, what an idiot!” Antonelli fumed over team radio after the near-miss between the pair. 

Sainz, meanwhile, radioed in to his Williams team to say: “I don’t know what Antonelli was doing with me. He throw the car into me, I don’t know why…” 

Speaking after the end of Friday’s practice running in Belgium, Sainz made it clear he was unimpressed with Antonelli’s insult over team radio. 

"I think he felt like I impeded him - I don't feel like I did," Sainz said after practice. 

"I guess nowadays with the SM [Straight Mode], if you don't get out of the way exactly like [the other driver wants]- you cannot turn because you have no downforce with the wings open.

"Maybe he felt like I could have got out of the way in a better way. 

"But I don't think he should call me an idiot either, on the radio, I think that's forbidden, to swear and insult a rival - so I think he should calm down a bit.”

Antonelli explained his reaction, which he admitted was “not the best” in the “heat of the moment, after topping second practice. 

"I mean, he backed off out of a fast corner, you exit in seventh gear, and I had to abort and it was quite risky,” the Italian teenager said. 

"So of course I was not happy with it and of course what I said probably, in the heat of the moment, is not the best - but it was quite dangerous.”

Sainz ended Friday practice 16th-fastest, behind Williams team-mate Alex Albon who took 15th. 

Antonelli heads into the Belgian Grand Prix weekend holding a 25-point championship lead over Mercedes team-mate George Russell.