Lewis Hamilton might have jinxed Kimi Antonelli’s debut into Formula 1 after giving him a stark warning before his crash at the Italian Grand Prix.
The 18-year-old crashed into the wall just minutes into his Free Practice 1 run at Monza on Friday. It’s caused substantial damage to the car’s floor and has potentially ruined George Russell’s time in FP2. He faced the media after the huge smash. “First FP1 done,” he explained. “Unfortunately it ended quite quickly because of the crash.”
READ MORE: Mercedes dealt HUGE blow after Italian Grand Prix crash
But now it’s been revealed that Lewis had warned Kimi about the Mercedes W15 before he went out on track. Speaking to the press on Thursday, Lewis said: “For Kimi tomorrow it’s just about enjoying himself and having fun. It’s going to be an experience for him.”
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“He[s obviously been testing but tomorrow will be the first time testing this car, which is so much nicer than the 2022 car so he’s going to be all smiles tomorrow for sure,” he explained at the FIA press conference in Italy.
“It’s a pretty drastic difference. The more information and input we get, the better.” Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff said the crash wouldn’t affect his standing within the team, as they hunt for a replacement for seven-time champion Lewis.
“He’s a rookie, he’s very young, we are prepared to invest into his future,” said Wolff. “I think a strong driver needs to recover from these things and cope with the pressure.”
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