What Happened to Kimi Antonelli at the 2026 British Grand Prix ?

Kimi Antonelli had an incredible weekend at Silverstone, winning the Sprint Race and taking pole position. He looked ready to fight for another victory.

However, during the Grand Prix, Antonelli's race changed dramatically. After dropping behind the Ferraris at the start, he recovered well and began chasing race leader Charles Leclerc. But with 11 laps remaining, his Mercedes suffered a front-left wheel shield failure after hitting a kerb, making the car difficult to drive.

Mercedes brought him into the pits twice to try to fix the problem, but he also received a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits while struggling with the damaged car. He eventually finished 16th, scoring no points.

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff accepted responsibility for the mechanical failure, saying Antonelli could have fought for the win if the problem had not occurred. Despite the disappointing result, Antonelli still leads the Drivers' Championship, although his advantage has been reduced.