Kimi Antonelli is sidelined from Thursday's Mexico City GP media day with illness, just as a first world title edges within reach.
Kimi Antonelli will not take part in Thursday's media day at the Mexico City Grand Prix after falling ill, a setback at a crucial moment in his season.
The timing is awkward. The young Italian arrives in Mexico on the verge of locking up his first Formula 1 world championship, and every bit of preparation counts as the title edges closer.
Media day is usually a light start to a race weekend, with press duties and paddock appearances rather than track action. Missing it is not a sporting disadvantage in itself, but it raises questions about how Antonelli's health will hold up once the serious work begins.
How quickly he recovers, and whether the illness affects his preparation for the weekend, remains to be seen. All eyes will be on the paddock to see if he is fit and firing when the cars hit the track at the high-altitude Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
