Kimi Antonelli’s Monza woes continue as he beaches W16 in Italian GP FP2

Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli caused the first red flag of the second practice session at Monza after beaching his W16 in the gravel, repeating his misfortune from his Formula 1 debut a year ago. 

The Italian driver’s 2025 contract with Mercedes was announced during the 2024 Italian Grand Prix weekend – the same weekend he took to the wheel of George Russell’s car in practice and crashed.

Now, on his first time returning to the event since joining the Brackley outfit, he has beached the car in the gravel, ending his second practice session early. This also comes a week after he beached the car during Friday practice at Zandvoort ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix.

He lost the rear at the two Lesmos, which sent him across the gravel.

The 19-year-old confirmed to the team that he was OK, but as he was stuck and required assistance getting the car out, his session was over.

“Yeah, it happened a lot of things,” Antonelli explained during the press conference on Thursday.

“I have good memories, but also really bad memories here, but it’s a really special place and I think it’s going to be a special weekend because it’s not just my second home race, but obviously, as you said, this is where it all started with the announcement, so that’s why it’s going to be a very special one, but it’s been very intense ever since, but so far it’s gone quite OK.”

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Photo by: Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images

Looking ahead to his expectations this weekend, he added: “It’s always tough to say because the cars now are getting closer and closer, but last year the car was actually, looking at the result, especially in qualifying, they were up there.

“So this year has been a bit of the trend that the car, where it’s been good last year, was also quite good this year, so hopefully it’s going to be the same, but we never know.”

Photos from Italian GP – Friday