Mercedes Formula One driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli has walked away unscathed after being involved in a road traffic accident in the build-up to this week’s highly anticipated Bahrain pre-season testing.
The Italian, just 19 years old and one of the sport’s most talked-about young talents, was in a private vehicle on a Saturday night near his home in San Marino when the incident occurred.
According to Mercedes and local police reports, Antonelli’s car collided with a guardrail on the San Marino Superstrada, but no other vehicles were involved and the driver himself was completely unharmed.
The crash happened in Serravalle, with emergency services attending after Antonelli himself contacted police.
Kimi Antonelli was unharmed after a car crash before Bahrain practice
|PA
While the vehicle — reported to be a Mercedes-branded AMG GT 63 PRO 4MATIC+ “Motorsport Collectors Edition” — was damaged, the 2025 drivers’ championship contender suffered no injuries.
In a brief statement, Mercedes confirmed the facts of the accident and stressed that Antonelli’s participation in the Bahrain pre-season test is unaffected.
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Kimi Antonelli is gearing up for his second season with Mercedes
| GETTYThe team reiterated that he will be present and fit to continue preparations for the upcoming Formula One season.
Antonelli’s crash comes just days before the first of two three-day pre-season testing periods at the Bahrain International Circuit, which begins this Wednesday.
The sessions, running from February 11–13 and then again from February 18–20, are crucial for teams to gauge performance, shake down new parts, and collect data ahead of the season opener in Australia on March 8.
Mercedes confirmed that Antonelli is already in Bahrain and will take his place behind the wheel of the new Mercedes W17, alternating sessions with senior team-mate George Russell.
For the young Italian, who finished seventh in last season’s drivers’ championship, this year marked an important step as he continues to grow in experience and stature within the sport.
Despite a rookie campaign that featured highs and lows — including several podiums and his first pole position — Antonelli’s trajectory has drawn praise from figures across the paddock.
While the timing of the crash raised immediate concern among fans and pundits, the incident serves as a reminder that even elite athletes remain vulnerable outside the controlled environment of the racetrack.
Formula One drivers are accustomed to confronting danger at extreme speeds on circuit tarmac, but the risks of everyday road travel are a different test altogether.
Mercedes are one of the favourites to benefit the most from the new rules in power unit design | PAMercedes’ swift confirmation and the reassurance that Antonelli was unharmed will provide relief to supporters — particularly ahead of an intense period of development work for the team in Bahrain.
With the season fast approaching, every mile behind the wheel of the new car counts.
Antonelli’s focus will now be squarely on completing the Bahrain test programme and helping Mercedes refine their car ahead of the 2026 campaign.
Pre-season test results often act as an early indicator of form, and both team and driver will be eager to put this unexpected distraction behind them.
For now, the headlines are simply that he is safe, fit, and on track in Bahrain — ready to continue chasing success in Formula One with one of the sport’s most iconic teams.