Kimi Antonelli may already be a two-time Formula 1 race winner and the current leader of the championship standings, but at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, even success does not guarantee immunity from a bit of garage humour.
The 19-year-old Italian further cemented his growing reputation earlier this season at the Japanese Grand Prix. Despite a difficult start to the race, Antonelli capitalised on a timely Safety Car period to recover lost ground and secure his second grand prix victory. The result not only underlined his maturity beyond his years, but also propelled him to the top of the drivers’ standings.
In the process, Antonelli moved nine points clear of his more experienced team-mate, George Russell. With momentum firmly on the teenager’s side, some observers have suggested that Russell may soon feel the pressure to reassert himself within the team before Antonelli’s confidence grows even further.
But while Antonelli’s performances on track have been commanding, members of the Mercedes garage have made sure he remains grounded off it.
In a light-hearted video shared on social media, Antonelli was seen leaving the team’s garage with a touch of showmanship. As he exited in his Mercedes, he added a playful flourish by drifting the car slightly on his way out. The manoeuvre may have looked stylish, but it left visible tyre marks streaked across the otherwise spotless garage floor.
That brief moment of flair quickly translated into extra work for the mechanics on his side of the garage, who were tasked with scrubbing the black marks away using rags to restore the pristine surface.
The team members, however, were not about to let the young championship leader off lightly. In a playful act of revenge, the mechanics collected the dirty rags and proceeded to stuff them into Antonelli’s clothing — tucking them into his jacket pockets and even into his cap.
The prank served as a reminder that no matter how impressive his rise has been, Antonelli is still very much part of a tight-knit team environment where banter and camaraderie thrive.
While he may be leading the title race on track, inside the Mercedes garage Antonelli is clearly still subject to the same playful discipline as everyone else — proving that even a championship frontrunner cannot escape the mechanics’ sense of humour.