Kimi Antonelli broke his front suspension by hitting the inside wall early in qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, leaving the Mercedes undriveable and opening the door for team-mate George Russell to take full advantage.
The championship leader misjudged a corner and hit his front-left wheel off the wall, damaging the suspension and rendering the car undriveable.
Impact on the championship battle
The incident occurred during the opening segment of qualifying, leaving Antonelli unable to set a competitive time and handing the initiative to Russell within the Mercedes garage.
Details on the extent of the damage and the implications for the grid remain limited as the session continues.
Reaction and next steps
Further updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story are expected to follow as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend progresses.
