Unwell Antonelli to sit out Mexico City GP media day

Pulse Sports Team 19:45 - 29 October 2026

Formula 1 championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli will miss Thursday's official media day ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix after feeling unwell, Mercedes have confirmed.

A spokesperson for the German team informed the media that the Italian driver is recovering from a viral illness. As a result, the FIA has excused him from mandatory media duties and press conferences ahead of the race weekend. Mercedes noted that they expect Antonelli to return to the paddock on Friday.

The 20-year-old stands on the brink of a historic triumph. Winning the title would make him the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history, eclipsing Sebastian Vettel's 2010 record by more than three years. To secure the crown this Sunday, the Italian needs only to finish ninth, or have neither George Russell nor Lewis Hamilton claim victory.

Antonelli is not the only absentee on Thursday. Valtteri Bottas will also skip his media commitments due to health reasons, with Cadillac announcing that the Finn is feeling under the weather.

"The team has decided to give him a rest day to aid his recovery. This is purely a precautionary measure and does not currently put his participation in the rest of the race weekend in doubt. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as necessary," Cadillac said in an official statement.

While such a scenario remains unlikely, both outfits have reserve drivers on standby if an emergency arises.

For Mercedes, that role belongs to 2023 Formula 2 runner-up Frederik Vesti. The Dane is yet to make an official Grand Prix start, but he is already scheduled to drive George Russell's car this weekend for his seventh outing in Free Practice 1.

Cadillac, on the other hand, have Guanyu Zhou registered as their reserve. If called upon to deputise for Bottas, the Chinese driver would make his F1 comeback after concluding a three-year spell with Alfa Romeo-Sauber at the end of the 2024 campaign.