Kimi Antonelli Causes Red Flag in Italian GP Practice at Monza

Kimi Antonelli, the 19-year-old Mercedes driver, caused a red flag during the second practice session at the Italian Grand Prix after spinning and getting stuck in the gravel at the second Lesmo corner. This incident marked the second consecutive weekend where Antonelli triggered a red flag during practice, following a similar event at Zandvoort where he locked up and ran off track. Despite a promising start to the weekend with a strong FP1 showing, Antonelli's mistake in FP2 disrupted his preparation and raised concerns about his consistency and confidence, especially under mounting pressure after a collision with Charles Leclerc in the previous race. Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok noted the unusual nature of the spin, with the rear of the car snapping early in the corner, highlighting the challenge Antonelli faces in maintaining clean sessions. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff acknowledged Antonelli's ups and downs, emphasizing that this season is a learning curve with moments of brilliance and frustration. The driver remains optimistic about qualifying but will need to recover quickly to avoid further setbacks at Monza.