KIMI ANTONELLI loved a record-breaking Method One Japanese Grand Prix after being given the keys for a surprising new automobile.

Nonetheless, he isn’t allowed to drive it on house soil for THREE years because of a brand new regulation which got here into impact final December.

4

4

4

Antonelli, 18, is quietly having a formidable debut season with Mercedes after scoring factors in every of his first three races with the Silver Arrows since changing Lewis Hamilton.

Earlier than his sixth-place end at Suzuka final Sunday, the Italian was given the keys to a placing darkish blue Mercedes AMG GT 63 S, value £165,000.

He was seen posing alongside the motor – which might go from 0 to 62mph in 2.8 seconds and attain a prime pace of 199mph – in photos launched by Gazzetta dello Sport.

However Antonelli, who handed his driving take a look at in January, will be unable to drive it again house resulting from strict Italian highway legal guidelines.

Italian regulation prevents new drivers from working inside combustion vehicles with an influence restrict over 75kW throughout their first three years on the highway, together with his new drive having a restrict of as much as 600kW.

Regardless of this, Antonelli doesn’t have to attend lengthy to get again behind the wheel and discover the joys of pace with the Bahrain Grand Prix developing subsequent weekend.

At 18 years and 224 days, Antonelli’s ten-lap stint main the Japanese GP noticed him grow to be the youngest race chief in F1 historical past, overtaking Max Verstappen by 4 days.

After pitting onto onerous tyres the Mercedes driver later clocked the quickest lap to additionally beat Verstappen’s title for the youngest driver to realize a quickest lap.

BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK

Talking after the race, received by Verstappen forward of McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, he stated: “I’m a lot happier, it was significantly better than China, and we confirmed some good tempo and consistency, however the first 15 laps have been a little bit of a wrestle, however as soon as I bought in free air, the tempo improved.

“Qualifying was an enormous click on as a result of I used to be extra capable of really feel the automobile and push it, and in the present day was one other step ahead.

“I’m actually wanting ahead to exploring much more within the subsequent few weekends, as a result of now I’ve the sensation that I can play with the automobile, which is one thing I could not actually do within the earlier weekends as a result of I used to be undoubtedly tense while driving. 

“I am getting extra expertise with the tyres and the automobile itself, so I’m able to really feel it extra. 

“The plan was completely different, it was to cease earlier, however because the tempo was enhancing lap-by-lap, we determined to remain out as a result of we had not risk from behind and simply tried one thing completely different. 

“I am not going to lie, at one level on the mediums, it began drizzling and I hoped for some rain, but it surely did not come. However on the similar time, I can not complain as a result of it was expertise.”

Antonelli has thus far collected P4, P8 and P6 finishes in F1 function races, putting him fifth within the World Drivers Championship standings with 30 factors, 15 behind team-mate George Russell and 10 greater than Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

He’s one in every of six rookies on the grid this season, together with Isack Hadjar, who left Sky Sports activities F1 pundits in hysterics after describing an damage he had in a “delicate space” and Ollie Bearman.

4