Mercedes driver and Formula 1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli is facing a civil lawsuit from his former manager Giovanni Minardi, who is seeking millions of euros in unpaid compensation, according to legal documents filed in Bologna.
The dispute, which has been unfolding behind closed doors for roughly a year, centres on Minardi's management of Antonelli's early career. The son of Giancarlo Minardi — founder of the former Minardi F1 team — Giovanni Minardi signed Antonelli to his management company in 2014, when the future Grand Prix winner was just 11 years old.
Minardi arranged for Antonelli to test with Ferrari's junior programme, but then-team principal Maurizio Arrivabene rejected the young Italian as "too young". Antonelli subsequently joined the Mercedes junior programme in 2018 and is now represented by team principal Toto Wolff.
Minardi officially lodged the civil lawsuit in Bologna's court ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, seeking compensation for unpaid fees and damages for the termination of his mandate. The claims relate to activity dating back to before Antonelli's F1 debut in 2025.
"Giovanni Minardi suffered enormously over what happened and turned to ordinary justice because it was the only option left," Minardi's lawyer, Mattia Grassani, told Adnkronos. "So many years of work, sacrifice, and investment in the young driver deserved far greater recognition."
Grassani described the case as "very complex" and confirmed that settlement talks have so far failed. "There were opportunities to settle the matter out of court, but the offers made were deemed unacceptable by the former manager."
Both Wolff and Gwen Lagrue, the former Mercedes driver scout who recently joined Red Bull, may be called to testify as the case progresses. Antonelli's camp has not commented publicly, but Italian media reports suggest a "sense of calm" among the 19-year-old's team, who believe they have acted within the law throughout.
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