Kimi Antonelli Has a Fever: Mercedes’ Announcement

Andrea Kimi Antonelli is skipping the Media Day for the Mexican Grand Prix due to the flu, which has been affecting him over the past few days. The 20-year-old driver, the man of the moment and just one step away from his first world championship title, will rest as a precaution to prevent his condition from worsening.

Mercedes explained that the Bologna-born driver will be on the track as scheduled on Friday for the free practice session: “Kimi isn’t feeling well today; he’s recovering from a viral infection. As a precaution, the FIA has excused him from his mandatory media commitments to give him a chance to rest ahead of the weekend. We expect him to return tomorrow. Thank you for your understanding.”

Antonelli is just two points away from the world championship title: a ninth-place finish will be enough to secure the World Championship.

The title had been postponed by a week following the United States Grand Prix, where Antonelli dominated from pole position to the checkered flag with a one-stop strategy, finishing ahead of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. The race in Austin marked the Bologna-born driver’s ninth victory of the season, while his teammate George Russell finished in eighth place, nearly a minute behind.

On the eve of the Mexican race weekend, Antonelli also revealed in an interview with the Swiss newspaper Blick a decision bound to spark debate: if he wins the title, he will continue to race with the number 12 instead of 1. “I have to finish my job, but I think I’ll stick with number 12 afterward,” he said. The number 12 belongs to his idol, Ayrton Senna, who used it during his time at Lotus and McLaren, and Antonelli has kept it ever since his days in the junior series. This decision is reminiscent of Hamilton’s, who remained loyal to the number 44 even during his world championship-winning years.