Ailing Kimi Antonelli misses F1 Mexico GP media day.
Kimi Antonelli will miss the Formula 1 Mexico Grand Prix on Thursday due to feeling unwell, as announced by the Mercedes team.
A representative for the Anglo-German squad informed the press that the championship leader was “feeling under the weather” owing to a “viral illness” he has been recuperating from, prompting the FIA to excuse him from today’s media obligations.
“We anticipate his return tomorrow,” the statement added.
Antonelli is on the verge of claiming his first F1 title, which would make him the youngest world champion, surpassing Sebastian Vettel’s 2010 record by more than three years. All he requires on Sunday is a ninth-place finish, or for neither George Russell nor Lewis Hamilton to secure victory.
The 20-year-old Italian won’t be the sole driver to miss media day, as Valtteri Bottas has also reported feeling unwell; Cadillac informed the media that the Finn was “unwell”.
“The team has decided to grant him a day of rest to assist in his recovery,” the statement explained.
“This is a precautionary step and does not currently impact his ability to participate in the upcoming race weekend. We will keep monitoring the situation and provide updates as needed.”
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing
Who might step in if needed?
While it’s not very likely, there’s a possibility of a reserve driver being called upon for either racer.
For Mercedes, that would be 2023 Formula 2 runner-up Frederik Vesti, who has yet to race in a grand prix but is set to make his seventh career Free Practice 1 appearance this weekend in George Russell’s car.
As for Cadillac, Zhou Guanyu serves as the team’s reserve driver, which would mark his F1 comeback after concluding his three-year term with Alfa Romeo/Sauber at the end of the 2024 season.
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