Kimi Antonelli's Baku weekend starts with smoky hydraulic failure

Kimi Antonelli’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend began in the most disruptive manner possible. What started as a dominant display in the opening practice session quickly descended into a scene of mechanical distress, leaving the championship leader with a significant cleanup task before the real competition begins.

From P1 to the Run-off Area

As the car slowed, smoke began to billow from the rear, prompting Antonelli to report a hydraulics problem over the radio. The situation grew more visual as smoke continued to emerge from the sidepod vents, forcing the 20-year-old Italian to roll his car deeper into the run-off area to avoid further complications.

Marshal Intervention and Cleanup

The incident was marked by a somewhat unusual response from the trackside marshals. Upon exiting the car, Antonelli beckoned for assistance, leading to a moment where a marshal deployed an extinguisher toward the rear of the Mercedes. The spray hit the bodywork and bounced back, coating the young driver in extinguisher fluid.

While the immediate concern was a potential fire, some might argue the marshal could have waited to see if the car actually ignited, as the intervention resulted in a messy cleanup operation for the Mercedes crew during the inter-session break.

Despite this setback, Antonelli remains in a commanding position within the championship, currently sitting 81 points clear at the top of the drivers' standings. Nevertheless, following previous reliability issues, this early mechanical scare in Baku will undoubtedly be a concern for the Mercedes garage as they prepare for the rest of the race weekend.