The Kimi Antonelli You Don't Know: Inside the Mercedes Garage With F1's New World Champion

Formula 1 world champion Kimi Antonelli has developed a habit of playfully pinching the nipples of his Mercedes mechanics inside the garage, Motorsport.com reported.

The 20-year-old Italian driver pairs the physical teasing with slaps, tickling, and covering colleagues’ faces in whipped cream for birthdays, fostering an unusually close atmosphere with the crew working on his W17.

According to Nathan Tupper, who works on the power unit of Antonelli’s car:

“When he comes into the garage, it’s quite a show. He grabs everyone, pinches people’s nipples, slaps them all over and generally causes chaos. At the end of the day, he’s 20 years old. That’s just Kimi.”

Ash Jones, the second senior mechanic on Antonelli’s car, said: ““There are so many practical jokes that it would be difficult to list them all. He comes over, says hello and then gives you a pinch. That’s how he jokes around with us. He likes having a good relationship with everyone, laughing and having fun together.””

Jones added: ““It’s one of the best atmospheres I’ve ever experienced working with a driver. With Kimi, you feel completely comfortable. It’s like talking to one of the guys you work with every day. There’s no awkwardness, no tension.””

Tom Mason, Antonelli’s number one mechanic, said:

“It always makes me laugh watching him getting ready to get into the car before qualifying. He’s still joking around, grabbing the guys, tickling them. Even when the pressure is enormous, he’s there having fun. He’s incredibly relaxed.”

Callum Wooldridge, who works on the front end of Antonelli’s car, explained the whipped cream birthday tradition:

“When you work in Formula 1, you spend so much time away from home that sometimes you end up celebrating your birthday during a grand prix weekend. It’s not always easy. Sometimes you really miss being at home. Kimi started this thing with whipped cream in people’s faces, and I don’t think there are many other garages in the paddock where something like that happens. It’s funny. It happened to me on my birthday in September last year.”