WAG Watch: Kimi Antonelli Accompanied by Girlfriend Eli While Rebecca Returns to Cheer Carlos Sainz in Jeddah

The early days of an F1 Grand Prix weekend often see attention shift to the WAGs (wives and girlfriends) who accompany the drivers to the paddock. And Jeddah was no exception, with some familiar faces returning and a few new ones making their debut.

All eyes were on Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, who brought his girlfriend to the paddock for the first time. In his first four races, the young Italian was seen arriving with his family—his father, mother, and sister by his side. But in Jeddah, it was his partner who shared the limelight, making her debut appearance and being introduced to the wider F1 community.

Veteran photojournalist Kym Illman captured Antonelli and Eli Babickova together on Saturday, just hours before the Mercedes driver strapped himself into the W16 for FP3. Antonelli had his arm wrapped around her shoulders, and both were smiling brightly.

 

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Babickova hails from Czechia, and she previously competed in karting, participating in various karting series across Italy and Europe since 2015, which isn’t surprising as kids in Europe do start karting early in childhood. So, it’s likely that the karting tracks are where she might’ve first crossed paths with Antonelli.

In an Instagram post from October 2024, she shared a ‘one-year anniversary’ photo with the young Italian, suggesting they’ve been in a relationship since 2023, when Antonelli was just 16 years old.

 

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Now that she’s begun appearing alongside the Italian driver at races, more details about her are likely to emerge in the coming months.

Speaking of more familiar faces in F1, Rebecca Donaldson is back. The Scottish model, who has become a regular presence on Carlos Sainz’s side of the garage in recent months, was once again spotted entering the Jeddah Corniche Circuit paddock with the Madrid-born driver, captured once again by Illman.

The Saudi Arabian GP marks Donaldson’s first race appearance since the season opener in Australia. Likely due to her own professional commitments, she skipped the races in China, Japan, and Bahrain.

 

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There should be more WAGs in attendance as well, with a high chance of Charles Leclerc’s partner Alexandra Saint Mleux being there, as she was recently spotted in a Jeddah resort with the Monegasque.

However, this could very well be a PR move to put rumours of Leclerc’s alleged infidelity to rest. Just a few days ago, an anonymous message surfaced online claiming that Leclerc was seen with another woman in Australia while Saint Mleux was at their home in Monaco. The rumor stirred the F1 community, but their appearance together on the shores of the Red Sea suggests that all is well, for now.