Kimi Antonelli’s participation in Australian Grand Prix qualifying is doubtful after the Italian severely broken his Mercedes in an enormous crash in closing apply on the first spherical of the 2026 System 1 season.
Simply as Mercedes determined to unleash the gorgeous tempo – later confirmed by his team-mate George Russell – that many suspected they’d, Antonelli misplaced management of his automotive at Flip 2 and shunted into the barrier at excessive velocity.
Whereas the 19-year-old was rapidly out of his stricken automotive and was cleared after being checked on by medics, his participation within the first qualifying session of the season, dwell on Sky Sports activities F1 at 5am, is in main doubt.
Anthony Davidson analyses Kimi Antonelli’s crash in P3 of the Australian GP.
Sky Sports activities F1 pundits Martin Brundle and Anthony Davidson instantly mentioned on commentary that they might count on Mercedes to be unable to restore the automotive for qualifying.
There have been blended feelings at Mercedes as Russell topped the session with a surprising lap time of 1:19.053, which put him six tenths away from Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton in second.
Antonelli’s crash might be all of the extra irritating for each him and Mercedes given they appeared to have an enormous alternative to start out the season with a one-two in each qualifying and Sunday’s race at Albert Park.
George Russell despatched out an ominous assertion of intent to his rivals because the Mercedes driver went quickest in closing apply round Melbourne Park.
Hamilton and his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc, who was third, look like Russell’s more than likely challengers for pole having completed forward of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
Max Verstappen was a spot behind his new Purple Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar in sixth, and sounded annoyed over the radio as he complained of points along with his automotive.
‘Crash might influence Antonelli all yr’
Sky Sports activities F1 pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz warned that the crash might have a significant influence on Antonelli’s 2026 marketing campaign.
He mentioned: “There is not any good time to crash, however in F1, you understand that the worst doable time in apply to crash is within the final 10 minutes of Follow Three going into the qualifying session.
“Within the storage it was enjoying out like a Drive to Survive episode. Kimi was there, Toto was reacting, stony-faced. Kimi did not go over to Toto for fairly some time, he was along with his engineer Peter Bonnington making an attempt to know what had simply occurred.
Antonelli crashed on his apply debut for Mercedes on the 2024 Italian Grand Prix.
“We wait to see what the impact on the remainder of the weekend might be for Kimi Antonelli, and doubtlessly on the remainder of the yr as nicely.
“Keep in mind how a lot his accident in Monza in 2024 – in his first free apply session earlier than he even turned a fully-fledged F1 driver – affected him all through the entire of final season.
“Hopefully he’ll be capable to transfer on fairly rapidly.”
Sky Sports activities F1’s Australian GP schedule
Saturday March 7
5am: AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING*
7am: Ted’s Qualifying Pocket book*
9.45pm: F3 Characteristic Race*
As System 1 enters a brand new period, Tate McRae’s GRAMMY-nominated Simply Preserve Watching will change into the brand new title observe for Sky Sports activities’ F1 protection this season and past
Sunday March 8
12.20am: F2 Characteristic Race*
2.30am: Australian GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday*
4am: THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX*
6am: Australian GP response: Chequered Flag*
7am: Ted’s Pocket book*
7.55am: Australian GP race replay*
10am: Australian GP highlights (additionally on Sky One)*
*Additionally on Sky Sports activities Foremost Occasion
Watch each race of the 2026 System 1 season dwell on Sky Sports activities, beginning with the Australian Grand Prix from this Sunday. Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
