During a filming session held the week of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Italian driver Kimi Antonelli made a mistake while operating a four-door electric Mercedes-AMG GT. He accelerated the vehicle without noticing that the gear selector was engaged in reverse, causing the car to back up and hit a wooden fence.
The situation occurred while Antonelli was trying to align the car next to his teammate, George Russell, to record a burnout. The scene was captured both by cameras installed in the vehicle and by Russell himself, who seemed amused by what happened.
Russell alerted Antonelli about the need to select 'D' (drive) gear to proceed. Antonelli promptly corrected the error, and the recording was completed with the planned burnout. Fortunately, the damage caused to the fence and the car was considered minimal.
The vehicle involved in the incident is the new Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé, an all-electric sports sedan. The GT 63 version features three axial flux electric motors, which are lighter and more compact than traditional ones, generating a total power of 1,169 hp and 203.9 kgfm of torque. According to Mercedes, this model can reach 100 km/h in just 2.1 seconds. Furthermore, its battery, which uses an 800-volt architecture inspired by Formula 1, supports charging up to 600 kW.
In the Spanish market, the GT 63 is available for the equivalent of 206,500 euros (R$ 1.23 million). Mercedes has not yet confirmed the introduction of this model in Brazil.
This slip contrasts with Antonelli's performance on the tracks. On Sunday (25th), the 20-year-old driver started from pole position and won the US GP, marking his ninth victory of the season. With 365 points, he leads Russell by 123 points and will secure the title if he finishes the Mexican GP next Sunday (1st) in at least ninth place.
It is worth noting that this is not the first time Antonelli has been involved in an accident with an AMG off the circuit; in February, he drove off the road with a limited edition GT 63 near his residence in San Marino but managed to escape unharmed.
