Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli has poked fun at Kim Kardashian after the reality star was caught on camera taking the towel left out for him following his Monaco Grand Prix victory — a moment that has since gone viral, with the team turning it into a tongue-in-cheek video that fans have branded “iconic.”
Kardashian, 45, attended the most glamorous race on the Formula 1 calendar to support her new boyfriend Lewis Hamilton, who finished behind race winner Antonelli on Sunday. Footage circulating widely on social media shows Kardashian walking past the winner’s podium area, picking up the towel that had been set aside for the young Italian driver, removing her sunglasses and using it to wipe her face — apparently unaware of whose towel it was.
Mercedes seized on the moment with a video in which Antonelli, with a knowing smile, asks: “I was wondering, have you seen my towel?” The clip then cuts to teammate George Russell being asked the same question — “George, have you seen Kimi’s towel?” — to which he simply replies “No?” A final clip shows Antonelli washing his hands while repeating the question once more. The team captioned the post: “Anyone seen @AndreaKimiAntonelli’s towel? #kimiantonelli #georgerussell #mercedes #f1 #formula1”
Fans flooded the comments with jokes. Several suggested Antonelli “check Lewis Hamilton’s laundry basket,” while others speculated Kardashian had simply mistaken the name, joking “she thought it said KIM not KIMI.” Other comments included “Keeping up with the Antonellis,” “It’s Kim’s towel now…” and “This is a masterpiece.”
Kardashian made her Formula 1 WAG debut in Monaco alongside her sister Khloe, with the pair arriving at the circuit’s VIP entrance by boat for a suitably glamorous entrance. Kim wore a cream dress with sky-high heels, while Khloe opted for a lace-trimmed slip dress and white waistcoat in the heat. The sisters watched the race with fellow F1 partner Alexandra Leclerc.
After the race, Hamilton broke his silence on the relationship following the couple’s public displays of affection throughout the weekend, having blown Kardashian a kiss from the podium. “It’s amazing to have her come this weekend and have her support. My friends in general — it was an incredible turnout overall. It’s amazing to have good people around you and supporting you, and she does that for me every day,” he said. Hamilton, who has yet to win a race since joining Ferrari last year, added he felt “inspired to level up” and described himself as “happy, grateful and thankful.”
Hamilton and Kardashian were first romantically linked earlier this year, with Monaco marking their first PDA-filled public outing as a couple. They have previously travelled together to Japan, spent a weekend at Estelle Manor in the Cotswolds and visited Paris, and were shown together on the big screen during the 2026 Super Bowl. The pair had known each other for several years before their relationship began. A source told Us Weekly that because the relationship “started with a friendship first, those closest to them believe this could be endgame for them both,” adding that “they are both very committed to making things work no matter how long the distance is or how busy they are.” A separate source told PEOPLE that Kardashian’s family “likes him” and that she is “very into him,” with the insider noting the pair have “more than just a casual connection.”
