F1 News: Andrea Kimi Antonelli crashes out in Free Practice 1 at Italian Grand Prix

Andrea Kimi Antonelli crashed out during Free Practice 1 at the Italian Grand Prix , raising concerns ahead of his potential replacement of Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. The 18-year-old driver lost control of his W15 at the challenging Parabolica turn, resulting in a high-speed collision with the barriers. Fortunately, he emerged from the incident uninjured.

"Kimi, all good. All good," Mercedes chief Toto Wolff said.

The crash occurred with 49 minutes left in the session, prompting a red flag as track officials worked to repair the barriers and clear debris. Before the accident, Antonelli had been performing well, clocking a competitive lap time of 1:23.955 on soft tires.

This incident comes at a pivotal moment, as speculation grows about Antonelli stepping in for the seven-time champion Hamilton, who is expected to join Ferrari in 2025. Prior to the crash, Hamilton was leading the practice session, closely followed by Lando Norris and Valtteri Bottas.

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After the crash, Antonelli was taken to the medical center for evaluation. Mercedes communications staff confirmed the impact was significant but expressed hope that the car could be repaired in time for the next practice session. They acknowledged that pushing the limits is part of the learning process for young drivers like Antonelli.