Rob Smedley particularly praises Antonelli’s car control—for the former Formula 1 engineer, the Mercedes driver is something special
Rob Smedley believes that Kimi Antonelli already showed in the junior series that he has what it takes to be a “once-in-a-generation talent.”
Former Formula 1 race engineer Rob Smedley has described the Mercedes driver as a “once-in-a-generation talent.” The Italian, 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.
On the High Performance Racing Podcast, Smedley spoke with host Jake Humphrey and former Alpine and Aston Martin team principal Otmar Szafnauer about the 19-year-old, praising his car control in particular.
Praise for Antonelli’s car control
“I watched him. I went to turns 1, 2, and 3, and later to the final chicane before the hairpin, where they drive under the bridge. That’s where I watched him,” says Smedley.
“He’s very good. He’s very good for someone who’s only driven 1 1/3 Formula 1 seasons or whatever experience he currently has. When you see that, you realize how good he is. You see how much he pushes the car to the limit.”
“It looks very fast when you watch it. You can see where he brakes, how he pushes the car to the limit, how the car behaves, how precise he is, and how consistently he applies that precision in his line choice, doing the same things over and over again,” Smedley continues enthusiastically.
Antonelli’s extraordinary potential
The former race engineer adds, comparing him to Russell: “He’s very, very good for someone who has so little experience with this car.”
“If you take that and turn it into a driver who has six years of Formula 1 experience and is at the peak of his career, then I think we’re dealing with a once-in-a-generation talent. I really believe he’s that good.“
When asked if he had already held this view before the start of the 2026 season, Smedley replied: ”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 move to Ferrari at the start of 2025. In his first season with the Brackley-based team, 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 has proven competitive under the new regulations, Antonelli celebrated his first Grand Prix victory 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.