Antonelli reveals sneaky first F1 paddock experience after ‘hiding inside stack of tyres’

Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli has shared the amusing story behind his first ever visit to the Formula 1 paddock, with tyres, a trolley and an umbrella all playing their part.

Antonelli is preparing to make his F1 debut with the Silver Arrows after a season in the F2 feeder championship, which supported 14 Grand Prix weekends last year.

Combined with a regular presence in the Mercedes garage, it meant the 18-year-old got used to plenty of circuits and paddocks he will be visiting through his debut 2025 campaign.

However, while most young drivers do not experience the F1 paddock until they step up to F3 or F2 level, Antonelli’s first visit came when he was aged just seven.

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“It was Hockenheim in 2014,” said Antonelli in an interview for the official Mercedes team website, with his father, Marco, racing in the Porsche Supercup series that weekend. “I couldn’t get into the paddock because I was too little.

“My dad decided to hide me inside a stack of tyres and wheel me through on a trolley. We put an umbrella on top to make me harder to see!

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“I got through and into the pit lane, and my dad’s friend got me a pass. I had a look around for an hour and it was such a cool experience – but we always laugh at the story of the trolley.”

As touched on, Antonelli has since visited a host of racetracks around Europe and beyond, and there are a few that stand out for the young Italian so far.

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“I really like Imola and Mugello, they are both great tracks,” he said. “Imola is about 30 minutes away from my home, and Mugello is about 50 minutes.

“I fell in love with Silverstone as well, the first time I drove there. Going through Maggotts, Becketts, Chapel and Stowe was incredible in an F1 car – it left me speechless.

“Monaco is another one I really enjoyed last year in F2. The focus you need, especially on that single-lap pace, is incredible.”

Mercedes are set to unveil Antonelli’s very first F1 car on February 24, with pre-season testing following at the Bahrain International Circuit from February 26-28.