Today | 'Franz Antonelli' takes over German karting event, F1 fans disappointed after social media tease

Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes’ young F1 driver, has reportedly adopted the pseudonym “Franz Antonelli” to take part in a karting event in Germany, drawing a comparison to Max Verstappen’s earlier alias “Franz Hermann.” The story comes as F1 prepares to resume at Zandvoort next week, with the 19-year-old championship leader spending time outside the paddock. The piece also references Verstappen’s 2025 Nürburgring NLS test and setup day, which preceded his eventual Nürburgring 24 Hours appearance in May. Separately, F1 shared a social-media trailer for the second half of 2026, narrated by Colin Farrell; some fans criticized the teaser timing after “see you tomorrow” posts, while others welcomed it.