Kimi Antonelli was involved in a road car accident near his home in San Marino just days before Formula 1 teams are set to begin preseason testing in Bahrain.
The incident occurred over the weekend when Antonelli’s personal vehicle left the road and made contact with a guardrail in the Serravalle area, according to Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Local authorities attended the scene after Antonelli contacted emergency services himself. No other vehicles were involved in the crash, and while the car sustained damage, the situation was quickly brought under control.
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The Italian star was traveling in a limited-edition Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro 4Matic+ Motorsport Collectors Edition at the time of the crash. However, it remains unclear who was behind the wheel when the incident occurred.
The timing, however, immediately raised concerns given Antonelli’s upcoming commitments with Mercedes.
Kimi Antonelli Unharmed After Car Crash
The 19-year-old has been preparing for his second F1 season with the team and will take part in the opening test at the Bahrain International Circuit from February 11 to 13. With limited testing mileage available under the regulations, any disruption to preparation carries added significance.
Mercedes later confirmed that Antonelli was unharmed in the incident and did not require medical treatment. The team stated that the crash will not affect his planned participation in Bahrain, with the Italian driver expected to take to the track as scheduled alongside teammate George Russell.
"We can confirm that Kimi was involved in a traffic accident on Saturday night, close to his home in San Marino. The police attended the scene after being called by Kimi. His was the only car involved, and while his vehicle was damaged, Kimi was completely unhurt," Mercedes' statement noted.
Antonelli had already logged valuable mileage during earlier private running and the Barcelona shakedown, and Bahrain is viewed as a critical next step in adapting to the demands of a full Formula 1 campaign.
Mercedes' Running Order for Bahrain Testing
As mentioned earlier, the first preseason testing in Bahrain will take place over three days, from February 11 to 13. The first day will see George Russell kick off the opening session in the morning, followed by Antonelli in the latter half of the day.
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The second day will see a shuffle in order, with the Italian driver running in the morning. Consequently, Russell will take the wheel in the afternoon. For the last day of Bahrain Testing 1, the order will revert to the same as day one: the British driver in the morning and Antonelli after the break.
While the accident briefly cast uncertainty over Antonelli's immediate plans, Mercedes’ confirmation puts the focus firmly back on on-track preparation as preseason testing gets underway.