In brief
In an unexpected turn of events, Formula 1 driver Kimi Antonelli attended a local go-karting event at Daytona Milton Keynes incognito, registering under the name 'Henry Shovlin.' Despite setting the fastest lap, Antonelli's race was marred by penalties, leaving him off the podium. It wasn't until after the race that attendees realized they had raced against a professional driver, leading to a mix of excitement and surprise among fans.
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, said Antonelli failed to make the podium because he got two penalties for pushing too hard but was happy to pose for a photo until he was mobbed by fans.
Mr. Prince said Antonelli did the usual briefing and then raced with everyone else but no one had a clue who he was. He actually got two penalties for pushing too hard so didn't finish on the podium at the end of it, he told Roberto Perrone on BBC Three Counties Radio.
However, he did get the fastest lap of the race by at least three seconds. Mr. Prince mentioned that the star was not recognized because he was wearing a helmet, but when he removed it post-race, everyone realized who they'd been racing against. This led to a quick rush of fans wanting to meet the F1 driver, but staff managed to arrange for a quick photo opportunity next to their celebrity leaderboard before he made his exit.
F1 drivers, including Alexander Albon, Isack Hadjar, and Yuki Tsunoda, have visited the track due to its proximity to Silverstone.
