Kimi Antonelli Explains Mercedes Gravel Incident at Home Italian GP

Kimi Antonelli's promising Friday at his home Italian Grand Prix was cut short when he lost control of his Mercedes in Lesmo 2 during the opening minutes of FP2, spinning into the gravel.

Why it matters

This incident, though minor, is a crucial learning experience for the young driver at a significant moment in his career. His ability to maintain confidence despite the setback is a positive sign, but missing track time in FP2 could impact his preparation for a critical qualifying session where margins are extremely tight.

The details

• Early Exit: Antonelli completed just four laps in FP2 before his session ended within the first 10 minutes.
• Incident: He spun into the gravel trap at Lesmo 2, reporting "I'm beached" to his team, which triggered a red flag.
• Antonelli's Take: Post-session, he stated, "I pushed a bit too hard for the grip in the moment, and yeah, it was a shame." He emphasized his confidence remains high, despite the missed laps.
• FP1 Performance: Antonelli showed strong pace in Free Practice 1, setting the fifth-quickest time.
• Russell's Concerns: His teammate, George Russell, admitted it was a "tricky day" for Mercedes, noting that despite being P10, the gap to the front was unusually small, indicating a challenging qualifying ahead.

What's next

Free Practice 3 offers the Mercedes duo one final opportunity to fine-tune their setup before Saturday afternoon's crucial qualifying session. Antonelli, fueled by the "amazing" home atmosphere, is determined to deliver a strong result, acknowledging that "quali is going to be very tight" with many drivers closely matched.