A former motorsport prodigy once tipped for Formula 1 has admitted to fatally stabbing his father in what he claims was self-defence. Antolin Gonzalez, 23, appeared in court this week charged with the murder of his father, also named Antolin Gonzalez, at a warehouse in the Spanish town of Aranda del Duero.
The incident occurred in July, and Gonzalez was arrested after fleeing to the nearby town of Sinovas. He has been in custody since then. The 56-year-old victim, a well-known local businessman, was still alive when emergency services arrived but later died from his injuries.
Gonzalez, who broke a karting track record at age eight and became the youngest driver to pilot a Formula 3 car at 13, claims his father brandished a machete-like blade measuring 10 to 15cm first, leading to a violent struggle. He says the stabbing was unintentional and that he disposed of the weapon by throwing it into a river, where it remains unfound.
His racing career included stints in Spanish Formula 4, Formula Masters China and the Asian Formula Renault series, where he finished second in 2018. However, financial constraints reportedly prevented him from reaching Formula 1. Gonzalez is now seeking a plea bargain for a lesser sentence as the trial continues.
