Kimi Antonelli’s preparations for the Mexico City Grand Prix have suffered an unexpected interruption, with the Mercedes driver excused from Thursday’s media duties after falling ill.
The championship leader will miss his scheduled engagements at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez as he recovers from a viral illness, Mercedes confirmed, offering reassurance that the Italian is expected to return to action on Friday.
The timing is far from ideal for the 20-year-old, who arrives in Mexico with a historic opportunity within reach. Antonelli could become Formula 1’s youngest-ever world champion this weekend, potentially rewriting a record that has stood since Sebastian Vettel claimed his first title in 2010.
Mercedes expects Antonelli back on Friday
Mercedes informed the media of Antonelli’s absence on Thursday, explaining that the youngster had been feeling unwell and needed time to recover.
A team spokesperson said the Italian was “feeling under the weather” due to a “viral illness” he had been recovering from, prompting the FIA to excuse him from the day’s media commitments.
The team nevertheless struck an optimistic tone about his availability for the remainder of the weekend.
“We expect him to be back tomorrow,” the statement continued.
Antonelli’s immediate priority will be getting back to full fitness ahead of a potentially decisive weekend in his maiden championship campaign.
The stakes could hardly be higher. A ninth-place finish on Sunday would be enough to secure the title, regardless of what his rivals achieve. Alternatively, he would be crowned champion if neither George Russell nor Lewis Hamilton wins the race.
Either outcome would see Antonelli surpass Vettel’s longstanding record by more than three years, completing a remarkable rise to the summit of Formula 1 at just 20.
For now, however, the Italian’s focus will be on recovery rather than celebrations, with Mercedes hoping the illness proves to be only a minor setback.
Bottas also misses Thursday’s commitments
Antonelli is not the only driver facing health concerns ahead of the Mexican weekend. Cadillac has also confirmed that Valtteri Bottas will miss Thursday’s media activities after falling ill.
The American outfit announced that the Finn had been given time to rest, while stressing that his participation in the remainder of the weekend was not currently in doubt.
“The team has taken the decision to allow him a day of rest, to support his recovery,” the statement read.
“This is a precautionary measure and does not currently affect his participation in the remainder of the race weekend. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates if necessary.”
Although neither team has indicated that a replacement will be required, the possibility of a reserve driver stepping in remains open should either racer prove unable to compete.
At Mercedes, Frederik Vesti would be the natural candidate. The 2023 Formula 2 runner-up has yet to make his Grand Prix debut but is scheduled to take over Russell’s car for his seventh career FP1 outing this weekend.
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Cadillac, meanwhile, has Zhou Guanyu available as its reserve driver. The Chinese racer could therefore return to the F1 grid if required, having completed his three-season stint with Alfa Romeo and Sauber at the end of 2024.
For both teams, the hope will be that no such contingency becomes necessary. Mercedes, in particular, will be eager to see Antonelli recover quickly, with a potential date with Formula 1 history awaiting him on Sunday.
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