Kimi Antonelli continued his F1 season for the ages by winning the US Grand Prix on Monday morning, Australian time – but only after he put a Mercedes into the wall in a car park in the lead-up to the race to leave his teammate George Russell in fits of laughter.

The 20-year-old was driving a new Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé before the race in Austin, Texas when he committed the cardinal sin of hitting the accelerator without making sure he was in the correct gear. Yes, you read that right.

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Antonelli and Russell had driven to the circuit in personalised Merc-AMG cars and the championship leader – who needs just two more points to be crowned F1’s youngest ever world champion – appeared to be attempting to do a burnout when he failed to notice his car was still in reverse.

As soon as he hit the loud pedal, the Coupé slammed into a wooden fence, with the video posted by the Mercedes-AMG F1 team showing him in a moment of momentary shock as Russell, who is parked next to him, can’t contain his laughter.

Antonelli finds the right gear and burns rubber before asking, “Is it OK? The car?” before a giggling Russell responds, “You need to put it in drive! Forward!” as the Italian manages to have a bit of a chuckle at his own expense.

F1 fans had a field day in the comments section of the clip, with one joking that Antonelli had “put it in R for race” and another predicting that the wunderkind “knows no one will forget this for the rest of his racing career”. 

It’s a safe bet team principal Toto Wolff won’t give a damn about the car park bingle after his charge’s dominant win at the Circuit of the Americas, where he was rarely troubled after starting from pole position. 

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After beating Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc into second, Antonelli will almost certainly take the drivers’ championship at the next race in Mexico, as long as he doesn’t crash out or fall victim to a mechanical issue that ends his race early. 

The title will be his as long as he doesn’t lose more than 23 points to Russell or 24 points to Lewis Hamilton, meaning he can take the crown if he finishes ninth and Rusell wins, or he finishes 10th and Hamilton wins.

It’s been a staggering season so far for Antonelli, who might have the best car in the field, but has also thoroughly outclassed his more experienced teammate on his way to standing on the verge of history.