F1 insider reveals Kimi Antonelli's 'iPhone' problem during Miami Grand Prix

Miami Grand Prix

F1 insider reveals Kimi Antonelli's 'iPhone' problem during Miami Grand Prix

Kimi Antonelli suffered an unusual issue during Sunday's F1 race

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Monday 4 May 2026 13:58

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Mercedes F1 star Kimi Antonelli may have made history at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday, but his victory didn't come easily.

After a tremendous start to the 2026 campaign for the Silver Arrows, their teenage star has cemented his spot at the top of the drivers' standings thanks to his win in Miami, now 20 points ahead of team-mate and title rival George Russell.

Antonelli's grand prix win on Sunday marked the third of his career but more importantly saw him become the first driver in the sport's history to convert his first three career pole positions into victories.

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And though his Miami GP win sounds a breeze on paper, the 19-year-old actually had to contend with much more than just competitive rivals out on track during the fourth race of the season.

During the 57-lap race, Antonelli also battled with overheating tyres and an electrical problem with his steering wheel, something which Sky Sports' Ted Kravitz compared to a faulty iPhone charging port.

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Speaking during Sky Sports F1's much-loved post-race show, Ted's Notebook, Kravitz delved into the issue that plagued Antonelli's steering wheel, revealing: "He had to battle with what I'm probably going to call 'Paddlegate'. Now the team are calling it a steering wheel connectivity issue.

Kravitz then turned to a relatable issue for any iPhone users tuning into the broadcast to explain the steering problem Antonelli suffered.

"Essentially, the best way to describe it is that when you plug your iPhone in, and if you've had your iPhone for a long time, and that sort of slot that you plug the thing into is a bit worn. Or maybe you've dropped it once or twice and and it doesn't really connect, and you don't get the little green thing at the top. You think, 'oh, no, am I going to have to buy another phone?' This is really annoying. Same thing with his steering wheel.

"So the steering wheel, there's some little connection that wasn't quite tight on the steering wheel. It wasn't about to come off or anything, but when he pulled the paddle for a gear shift, there was a little bit of a delay. And then suddenly, if you imagine you're going around 200 miles per hour, you're thinking, 'what's going on here? I've got a paddle problem. A problem with the gearbox is it's not shifting. I've got a problem with the paddle', and it was just a little bit of hardware problem.

"The connection between the steering wheel and the 12 pin connector or whatever it is that goes from the steering wheel to the steering column and then from the steering column to the brains of the car, and everywhere else."

So there you have it. The unusual steering issue Antonelli managed to overcome in Miami, explained a la Ted's Notebook.

F1 Mercedes Kimi Antonelli Miami Grand Prix Ted Kravitz