Lionel Messi became one of the standout figures of the Miami Grand Prix weekend, where 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli claimed victory for Mercedes.
As reported by İdman.Biz, the Argentine star visited the Mercedes garage before the race and briefly sat in the car that Antonelli would later drive. After the finish, Messi also congratulated the Italian in the team area. The moment quickly spread across social media, with fans humorously calling it the “Leo effect”.
On track, Antonelli delivered another strong performance, finishing ahead of Lando Norris of McLaren by 3.264 seconds. Third place went to his teammate Oscar Piastri.
The victory marked Antonelli’s third in a row this season, extending his lead in the championship standings to 20 points over his closest rival.
Messi’s visit to the Mercedes garage became one of the key off-track moments of the weekend. While fans linked it to Antonelli’s success, the Italian ultimately proved his class through speed and consistency on the circuit.
