F1 Italian GP: Kimi Antonelli embarrassment as Mercedes star out AGAIN in red flag incident

Kimi Antonelli in front of an Italian flag themed background shot of the Italian GP — Photo: © IMAGO

Italian Grand Prix

Kimi Antonelli embarrassment as Mercedes star out AGAIN in red flag incident

FP2 took place on Friday

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Friday 5 September 2025 17:30 Updated: 12:14

Kimi Antonelli spun out of Italian Grand Prix practice, beaching his Mercedes F1 car in the Monza gravel.

Heading into the second Lesmo corner, Antonelli suffered a huge snap of oversteer, sending his W16 off into the gravel where he was not able to get going again.

It's the latest in a string of recent embarrassing moments for the 19-year-old, including at last weekend's Dutch GP, where he crashed into Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and was handed a huge penalty.

Article continues under video

The Italian's incident in front of his home fans caused a red flag, delaying FP2 for around five minutes and sending all of the other drivers back into their garages.

Antonelli's struggles

19-year-old rookie Antonelli has still not been given a new contract for next season, and is due to be out of contract at Mercedes at the end of 2025.

But, despite his struggles in recent weeks, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has constantly reiterated that Antonelli and George Russell will be Mercedes' drivers for 2026.

Antonelli has only managed to score one point in the last five races, and just two of his last nine race weekends have yielded any points at all.

It has contributed to Mercedes falling behind Ferrari in the battle for second in the constructors' championship, and Russell is 120 points better off than Antonelli in the drivers' championship.

Antonelli's mistake ruled him out of the rest of FP2, but there wasn't any damage sustained to his Mercedes, and he will be able to compete in the rest of his home race weekend at Monza.

F1 HEADLINES: Max Verstappen delivers honest Red Bull admission as FIA protest launched

Kimi Antonelli Italian Grand Prix