Lewis Hamilton gets front-row seat as Antonelli pays for Bono birthday prank

Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington celebrated his birthday in Bahrain, and that meant Kimi Antonelli had another prank up his sleeve.

Only, this time, Bono already had his revenge plan in place. It involved hot sauce and a water bottle, with Lewis Hamilton there to watch the hilarious fun and games unfold down at his former team, Mercedes.

Bono bites back as Lewis Hamilton watches on

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Bono was the long-serving race engineer to Hamilton, who won six of his seven World Championship titles as a Mercedes driver.

But, when Hamilton moved on for pastures new at Ferrari, Bono continued in his role alongside Hamilton’s replacement, Kimi Antonelli.

Skip back a year, and Antonelli celebrated Bono’s first birthday to fall during their alliance with a cream cake prank, giving him a plate full to the face.

Bono was again celebrating his birthday during F1 2026 testing in Bahrain. This time, Antonelli marked the occasion the next day by soaking his race engineer with a water gun.

A Mercedes social media video captured the moment, and Antonelli’s apprehension as he realised that a receipt was coming. Bono was on his tail with a fire extinguisher in hand.

Antonelli escaped, but soon locked eyes with a now unarmed Bono down the hall.

“No it’s okay, enough, enough,” said Antonelli. “You are making a plan. I don’t like this.”

A familiar face had stopped by at Mercedes in the form of Lewis Hamilton. Antonelli quickly grabbed his attention and they began having a chat about the water gun, as Antonelli sent a squirt in the direction of a team member.

“I love this thing,” Hamilton declared, as he questioned whether it was electronic. Antonelli confirmed that it was not.

Bono used that distraction to bolt for the water gun. He was successful, as Hamilton turned into Antonelli’s human shield. Smart.

“I’ve come all this way to say hi to you man. Happy birthday for the other day,” said Hamilton as he and Bono embraced, the duo having achieved record-breaking success together in Mercedes colours.

But, even that amount of feel-good was not about to get Antonelli off the hook.

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Bono had prepared his revenge. He had slipped hot sauce into Antonelli’s water bottle.

Antonelli soon began coughing and spluttering after several sips, and gave an X-rated outburst as he realised that he had been pranked back.

“No water man. Just deal with it man!” Hamilton told the teenage Italian.

How the tables had turned.

“I hate spice. I can’t eat spice,” said Antonelli. He didn’t get much choice in the matter on this occasion.

“Man, I’m literally sweating. My chest is burning.”

“Live by the sword. Die by the sword.” Those were Bono’s words of wisdom to Antonelli.

No doubt Antonelli will tread more carefully in future when it comes to pranking Bono.

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