Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes prank war continues as race engineer becomes latest victim. Andrea Kimi Antonelli keeps Mercedes laughing with another hilarious prank.

Kimi keeps the Mercedes prank war alive

The world of Formula 1 is built on adrenaline, pressure and relentless speed. Those emotions become even more intense during heavy development periods, like the past few weeks, with every team using the break between Miami and Montreal to analyse their cars and prepare fresh upgrades. More new components are expected this weekend, with particular attention focused on McLaren and Mercedes.

But amid all the technical work, there has also been time to relax and unwind. Andrea Kimi Antonelli appears to have his own unique way of building team spirit with his colleagues: an all-out prank battle.

After previously leaving tyre marks in the garage and launching cakes into the faces of unsuspecting birthday celebrants, the Formula 1 championship leader turned his attention to his race engineer, disabling his office access badge.

“Make sure you act like nothing happened,” the young Italian driver reportedly told the secretary, hoping to keep the prank alive a little longer.

But Peter Bonnington — better known throughout the paddock as Bono — immediately suspected who was behind it.

“That little bastard has struck again,” the English engineer reportedly muttered after realising what had happened.

Not long afterwards, the access card was reactivated, and now all eyes are on Bono to see whether revenge will be coming soon.

Kimi Antonelli’s lighthearted antics inside the Mercedes garage therefore highlight the vital importance of maintaining team morale during a high-pressure world championship campaign. While the engineering departments back at Brackley remain locked in a ruthless technical arms race with McLaren to deliver the next decisive performance upgrade, Antonelli’s infectious energy keeps the garage environment loose and united. This ability to balance immense trackside maturity with a youthful, carefree personality is exactly what makes the young Italian such a formidable asset for Toto Wolff‘s squad. As the battle intensifies on the tarmac in Montreal, this brewing internal prank war proves that despite the escalating championship stakes, the bond between Antonelli and Bono remains unbreakable.