Antonelli's latest prank on engineer Bono goes viral as Mercedes shares footage

Kimi Antonelli’s prank war with his Mercedes race engineer Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington shows no signs of slowing down. The 19-year-old F1 driver, who replaced Lewis Hamilton in 2025, has struck again — this time disabling Bonnington’s access card around the Brackley factory. A video shared by Mercedes shows Antonelli gleefully plotting the move, and Bonnington’s reaction has already racked up 1.4 million views and 228,000 likes.

Why it matters:

The bond between a driver and race engineer is critical in F1, and Antonelli’s lighthearted antics signal a strong, trust-based relationship. That chemistry is translating into results: Antonelli leads the drivers’ championship by 20 points over teammate George Russell, becoming the youngest driver ever to top the standings. A relaxed, confident atmosphere inside the garage can be a subtle but real performance advantage over a grueling 24-race season.

The details:

• The prank: Antonelli blocked Bonnington’s electronic access card — everywhere. “Don’t change it until he tries to come in,” he said with a grin. When Bonnington’s card failed, he laughed: “The little s*** has done it again.”
• The backstory: The war began at the 2025 Bahrain test when Antonelli shoved a cream cake into Bonnington’s face for his birthday. Later came a water-gun ambush through the paddock.
• Fan reaction: Comments flooded in — “How do you explain that this little kid is the leader of the championship?” and “Bono and Kimi are my favourite driver-engineer duo right now.”

What’s next:

Antonelli has already won three grands prix in 2026 (China, Japan, Miami) plus a sprint race, while Russell won the season opener in Australia. With a 20-point lead and momentum on his side, the rookie is proving that a playful off-track dynamic can coexist with fierce on-track focus. Mercedes fans will be watching closely to see if the pranks continue — and if Antonelli can hold off the pack to secure a historic title.