Kimi Antonelli crashes ultra-rare Mercedes AMG days before F1 testing

In a dramatic off-track incident just days before the start of the 2026 Formula 1 pre-season, Mercedes F1 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli suffered a spectacular crash in one of the rarest road cars in existence.

The 19-year-old Italian, already one of the sport’s most talked-about young talents, walked away unhurt, but his Mercedes-AMG GT 63 PRO 4MATIC+ “Motorsport Collectors’ Edition” was left badly damaged.

The accident happened on the evening of Saturday, 7 February, near Antonelli’s home in Serravalle, San Marino. According to police and team statements, Antonelli’s AMG GT left the road, struck a guardrail and other barriers on the San Marino Superstrada, and came to rest after hitting the obstacles.

Emergency services were called to the scene after Antonelli himself contacted the authorities; fortunately, no other vehicles or people were involved in the crash.

The star of the story, aside from Antonelli’s shaken dignity, is the car itself. Mercedes had only recently handed him the keys to the Motorsport Collectors’ Edition, a highly exclusive variant of the AMG GT 63.

With just 200 units produced worldwide, this version carries bespoke styling inspired by the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula 1 team and packs a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine producing around 612 bhp. Road tests and reviews peg the GT 63 PRO’s performance as blisteringly quick, combining race-derived handling with luxurious features.

In the aftermath of the crash, Mercedes Formula 1 team principal Toto Wolff offered a typically measured, yet good-humoured, reaction. Speaking from Bahrain, where the team was preparing for pre-season testing, Wolff said that the worst casualty was probably Antonelli’s ego rather than his body.

The Mercedes boss stressed that his first concern was the driver’s safety, and he was relieved that no one was injured in what could have been a much worse scenario.

“It’s a shame about the great car, but in the end it was just a car, even if it is the best AMG,” Wolff joked.

Despite the dramatic nature of the collision and the damage to the rare AMG, there’s been no indication that Antonelli’s Formula 1 racing licence has been affected.

Reports suggest that if local authorities determine he was speeding or otherwise at fault, his road driver’s licence could face penalties under normal traffic law, including fines or temporary revocation depending on the severity of any violations, but this would not impact his racing licence or eligibility to compete in F1 events.

Racing licences are governed separately by motorsport bodies and aren’t tied to normal road licence status.

Mercedes confirmed that Antonelli’s schedule remains unchanged, and the promising young driver is set to take part in the Bahrain pre-season tests, continuing his preparations for the 2026 campaign alongside teammate George Russell.