Mercedes mechanics ambush championship leader Antonelli with whipped cream at Monza

Andrea Kimi Antonelli found himself on the wrong end of a team-orchestrated ambush during media day at the Italian Grand Prix, as Mercedes mechanics doused the championship leader with whipped cream in the Monza paddock, escalating an ongoing prank war that has run throughout the 2026 F1 season.

The mechanics came prepared, wearing protective ponchos to shield themselves from any potential crossfire before pelting Antonelli with paper plates loaded with cream. The 20-year-old, who celebrated his birthday on 25 August, was caught off guard — a rare lapse in awareness for a driver who currently leads the drivers’ championship.

Mercedes framed the ambush as retaliation, captioning footage of the incident with “Payback is best served with cream,” suggesting Antonelli had struck first at some earlier point in the season. The specifics of the original prank were not disclosed, but the escalating back-and-forth has become a running subplot to what has otherwise been a serious title campaign for the young Italian.

Antonelli’s rise in 2026 has been one of the more remarkable stories in recent F1 history. Toto Wolff has described the teenager’s progress as “one of the biggest surprises of my career,” high praise from a team principal who has overseen multiple world championship campaigns. Antonelli heads into his home race at Monza carrying both the weight of a grid penalty and the momentum of a points lead.

Despite the penalty, the Mercedes driver has indicated he plans to go on the offensive at a circuit where overtaking opportunities are plentiful, giving the team reason to believe the setback need not prove costly in the championship standings.