Racing
© Jonathan Borba
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli escaped a major setback at the Barcelona Grand Prix after stewards issued only a reprimand for erratic driving in final practice, leaving the championship leader free to continue his weekend without a grid penalty.
The FIA ruled that Antonelli braked in front of Lance Stroll after the pair tangled in traffic late in FP3 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. In the stewards’ account, Car 12 was affected by Car 18 on the approach to Turn 1, and after overtaking the Aston Martin, Antonelli applied the brakes in front of Stroll and prevented him from passing back at Turn 2. That was judged to be erratic driving rather than an offense serious enough to trigger a sporting penalty.
That distinction mattered. Antonelli’s punishment was only his first reprimand of the 2026 season, so there was no grid drop attached and no immediate damage to his qualifying prospects in Spain.
The stewards said they heard from Antonelli, Mercedes and Aston Martin representatives before reaching their decision, and reviewed video, telemetry and onboard footage from the incident. In their ruling, the panel said Antonelli “admitted during the hearing that he acted out of frustration and apologised for his action.”
The episode followed a visibly angry end to Antonelli’s final practice session. His push lap had been spoiled by traffic, with Stroll among the cars that delayed him, and the Mercedes driver made his frustration clear over team radio. “Oh my god, Stroll, as always,” Antonelli said, before telling race engineer Peter Bonnington: “Why do I always get traffic? I don't understand. Everyone is always in the way. I had four cars into turn one in my first lap, four cars.”
That frustration became the center of the case against him. Rather than treating the matter as a misunderstanding in a congested practice session, the stewards concluded that Antonelli’s response crossed the line when he slowed in front of Stroll after passing him. His admission and apology appear to have helped limit the punishment.
For Mercedes, the outcome removed the risk of a far more costly penalty at a crucial point in the weekend. For Antonelli, it protected more than just his starting position. The Italian arrived in Barcelona as the 2026 championship leader after five straight wins, and any grid sanction would have threatened the momentum he has built over the opening phase of the season.
Instead, Antonelli leaves the hearing with a warning rather than a serious competitive blow, keeping both his qualifying session and his title push intact.