(Motorsport-Total.com) – Rob Smedley believes that Kimi Antonelli already showed in the junior series that he has what it takes to be a “generational talent.”
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The former Formula 1 race engineer Rob Smedley called the Mercedes driver a “generational talent.” The Italian, who is currently in his second Formula 1 season, leads the World Championship after the first five race weekends with a 43-point lead over his teammate George Russell.
In the High Performance Racing Podcast, Smedley spoke together with host Jake Humphrey and former Alpine and Aston Martin team principal Otmar Szafnauer about the 19-year-old and especially praised his car control.
Praise for Antonelli’s car control
“I watched him. I went to corners 1, 2, and 3 and later to the last chicane before the hairpin, where they go under the bridge. That’s where I watched him,” says Smedley.
“He is very good. He is very good for someone who has only driven 1 1/3 Formula 1 seasons or however much experience he currently has. When you see that, you realize how good he is. You see how much he moves the car at the limit.”
“It looks very fast when you watch. You can tell where he brakes, how he moves the car at the limit, how the car behaves, how precise he is, and how consistently he applies this precision in choosing the racing line and keeps doing the same things over and over,” Smedley continues enthusiastically.
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Exceptional potential of Antonelli
The former race engineer adds with regard to the comparison to Russell: “He is very, very good for someone who has so little experience with this car.”
“If you think further and make a driver out of this who has six years of Formula 1 experience and is at the peak of his career, then I think we are dealing with a generational talent. I really believe he is that good.”
When asked if he had this assessment already before the start of the 2026 season, Smedley answers: “Yes. I already thought that when he was still racing in the junior series.”
Successful start at Mercedes
Antonelli replaced Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes after the seven-time world champion decided to switch to Ferrari at the beginning of 2025. In his first season for the team from Brackley, Antonelli finished seventh in the drivers’ standings and stood on the podium three times. His best result was second place at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
With one year of Formula 1 experience and a Mercedes that proves competitive under the new regulations, Antonelli celebrated his first Grand Prix win at the Chinese Grand Prix. Since then, he has continued his winning streak. With his victory at the Canadian Grand Prix, he became the first driver to achieve his first four Grand Prix wins in a row.
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