Wat-Not Staff
Kimi Antonelli’s Formula 1 career went off to a quick start when he crashed during his first practice session at the Italian Grand Prix.
Kimi crashes 10 minutes into practice
Ten minutes into his Formula One practice debut, 18-year-old Italian Kimi Antonelli, who is expected to take Lewis Hamilton’s spot at Mercedes the following year, crashed out at 160 mph. On Sunday, Antonelli celebrated his birthday by jumping into the driver’s seat of George Russell, Hamilton’s teammate, during the first practice session of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza. However, at the fast-paced Parabolica, the local team’s favorite lost control of his Mercedes and went backward into the gravel and into the tire barrier.
“Are you OK?” Antonelli was asked over the radio. “Are you OK?”
He replied with an expletive before apologizing to his team. “Kimi, all good,” assured the team principal, Toto Wolff. “All good, Kimi.”
After stepping out of his wrecked Mercedes, Antonelli was brought to the hospital for some preemptive examinations. The collision was reported at a startling 45G. In 2025, Antonelli is anticipated to take Hamilton’s place at Ferrari. At his house gathering, an announcement had been anticipated.
Hamilton on Antonelli
Hamilton cautioned against placing undue pressure on Antonelli in his remarks on Thursday. “I said a long time ago that I think that’s who the team should choose moving forwards,” said the seven-time world champion. “He’s one of those young, super-talented kids that’s come through, he’s a young adult now but he’s only 18.
“But it would be good for people to remember he is just turning 18. It’s an opportunity for him to grow. [At Mercedes] he would get to work with the best in class, learn from people that I’ve worked with for many years. It is a lot of weight on someone’s shoulders but, as I said, it’s a great environment and I think they will be able to nurture him and carry him through it.”
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