Mercedes prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli has crashed just minutes into his F1 practice debut at the Italian Grand Prix. 

The 18-year-old, who is heavily tipped to replace Ferrari-bound 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lewis Hamilton next season, spun off into the barriers at Pꦗarabol💙ica less than 10 minutes into Friday's opening practice session at Monza. 

Antonelli had already set a time good enough for fourth in the early FP1 timesheets and had just set a purple middle sector before losing control of 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:George Russell's Mercedes at the final corner. 

The Italian was unhurt in the collision but it marks a🍒 ꦕfar from ideal start to the weekend for Mercedes.

Hamilton, driving the other Mercedes, was the fastest driver on track at the time of Antonelli's incideꦇnt, which red-flagged the session.

Antonelli's cꦚ🀅rash was a blow to his hopes of making an impact on home soil in Italy.

In front of his compatriots, his first spell in an official F1 seꦗason ended miserably.

It was also a less-than-ideal start to a weekend where Antonelli might hope to be confirmed as a 2025 Mercedes driverღ.

Hamilton's switch to Ferrari next year means Mercedes have been hunting for a replacement all seꩵason.

With 🍌only a few sea🎃ts remaining before the 2025 F1 driver line-up is complete, Mercedes have nowhere else to turn so it seems like they intend to back the prodigiously-gifted Antonelli.

Wolff's faith in Antonelli long-term has been compared to Red Bull's decision to put a teenage Max Vers😼tappen into the car.