Kimi Antonelli has already driven his Mercedes into the wall at Monza
What a bad start for the Mercedes protégé. Just ten minutes after the start of the first free practice session, the Italian lost control of his car in the final corner and sent it into the wall.
He was expected. But not really in this place or in this position. Kimi Antonelli was chosen by Mercedes for an official testing session, as the rules require, this Friday in Monza. The Italian took George Russell’s seat for this run.
On site, the announcer and many supporters were waiting for him on the track. But you couldn’t be late. Just ten minutes after the green flag, the current Formula 2 driver hit the wall.
A delicate track
In the Parabolica, he lost the rear of his car before spinning and hitting the rows of tires. He quickly got out of his single-seater without major injuries. On the other hand, the Mercedes was significantly damaged, and the mechanics will have a lot of work to do to repair the car before the second free practice session at 5 p.m.
The engine and gearbox condition will have to be checked before returning it to George Russell, later on.
He is not the only one to have made mistakes at the start of the sessions. The Ferrari drivers missed their braking points several times. In the Ascari chicane, many drivers were struggling. The new resurfacing has not yet provided great grip. A point that competitors feared at the beginning of the weekend.
An accident that happens at the worst moment
Regarding Kimi Antonelli, this off-track incident couldn’t have come at a worse time. According to our colleagues at Canal+, the Italian was supposed to be officially announced as a regular driver next year, alongside George Russell.
