Whilst Kimi Antonelli is on course for his first World Championship title, he suffers a mishap during a PR shoot – George Russell can’t help but laugh
Mercedes youngster Kimi Antonelli is currently delivering a top-class performance in Formula 1 and could be crowned world champion for the first time at the US Grand Prix in Austin. Off the track, however, the 20-year-old Italian has now committed a minor faux pas.
During a PR shoot with team-mate George Russell, which took place ahead of Saturday’s qualifying session, Antonelli reversed a Mercedes road car into a wooden fence. It is unclear whether the eventual pole-sitter simply misjudged the distance or was accidentally in reverse gear.
Whilst Russell cannot help but laugh at his team-mate’s mishap, Antonelli floors the accelerator and performs a burnout on the tarmac. The Italian then asks whether his car is still in one piece.
A blessing in disguise: the damage to the Mercedes appears to be minor, whilst the wooden fence has clearly taken a beating. After qualifying, in which Antonelli secured pole position, Mercedes posted the video on social media.
Mercedes fans are amused by Antonelli’s blunder
The team couldn’t resist taking a little dig at their own driver: “Championship leader, by the way,” wrote Mercedes about the curious incident, adding a crying and a laughing emoji to the comment.
The fans didn’t miss the opportunity to comment on the Italian’s mishap either. “He’s very good at driving, but forwards,” wrote one user. Another fan added: “ He just needs a bit more practice when it comes to reversing.”
“He’s only got a driving licence for Formula 1, not for the roads, so it’s good that something like this happens to him so he can learn in real life,” said another user, but “I liked the way George was enjoying the situation!”
In fact, Antonelli officially passed his driving test back in January 2025. However, the incident during the PR shoot isn’t his first mishap on the road: in February 2026, the Italian wrecked his brand-new company car in a road accident in his home country.