In brief
Kimi Antonelli, the 19-year-old F1 driver for Mercedes, surprised local go-karters by racing incognito at Daytona Milton Keynes, registering under the name 'Henry Shovlin.' Despite setting the fastest lap of the session, he faced penalties that kept him off the podium. Antonelli enjoyed the anonymity until fans recognized him post-race.
F1 driver Kimi Antonelli has surprised local go-karters by going incognito at a packed racing session.
Antonelli attended Daytona Milton Keynes on Saturday and registered under the name Henry Shovlin. The 19-year-old Italian, who drives professionally for Mercedes, set the fastest lap of the session in the main race but did not win.
Daniel Prince, from Daytona, commented that Antonelli did not make the podium due to acquiring two penalties for pushing too hard but was happy to pose for photos until he was swarmed by fans.
Mr. Prince mentioned that Antonelli completed the usual briefing and raced among others but kept his identity hidden until removing his helmet later in the session, at which point fans realized who he was. He was quickly surrounded and had to be ushered away for a photo near the celebrity leaderboard before leaving the venue.
F1 drivers, including Alexander Albon and Yuki Tsunoda, have frequented the track due to its proximity to Silverstone, making Antonelli's appearance all the more memorable.
