Teenage Sensation Antonelli Crashes on F1 Debut, Verstappen Dominates Practice

Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli, set to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, crashed during his Formula One practice debut at the Italian Grand Prix. Championship leader Max Verstappen was the fastest. Antonelli's crash halted the session, but team principal Toto Wolff assured that he was fine. Mercedes aims to have the car ready for the next session.

Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli, who's anticipated to take over from Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes next season, experienced a dramatic crash on his Formula One practice debut at the Italian Grand Prix, Friday. Meanwhile, Red Bull's Max Verstappen set the fastest time.

Verstappen, the current championship leader and two-time Monza winner, clocked in 0.228 seconds quicker than Ferrari's Charles Leclerc on a sunny afternoon near Milan. McLaren's Lando Norris, Verstappen's closest competitor, secured the third-fastest time but remains 70 points behind in the standings.

Antonelli, who just turned 18, brought the session to an early stop 10 minutes in when his Mercedes spun out at high-speed Parabolica and crashed into the barriers. Stepping in for George Russell, the teenager had initially set a promising pace. Team boss Toto Wolff reassured, saying, "Kimi, all good," as Antonelli walked away unharmed. The car was taken back for repairs, aiming to be ready for the second session later on Friday.