F1 handed remarkable message: 'I think we have a generational talent'

Former Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley has delivered a remarkable verdict on Kimi Antonelli, claiming that Formula 1 has a "generational talent" on its hands.

In just his second F1 season, Antonelli has made significant progress and leads the drivers' standings by 43 points over George Russell, his Mercedes team-mate.

At just 19 years old, Antonelli has brushed aside his lack of experience in the title fight and has claimed four consecutive victories.

He is the first driver in F1 history to have his first four wins come in consecutive events, with his talent leaving Smedley highly impressed.

Similar to Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton at the start of their careers in the pinnacle of motorsport, Antonelli possesses an all-or-nothing attitude and an incredible level of aggression when going for overtakes.

Antonelli's intense battles with Russell during the Canadian Grand Prix highlighted that he feels more than ready for the title fight, with Smedley believing he could become one of the greatest drivers of all time.

Discussing Antonelli always pushing to the limit, Smedley said on the High Performance Racing podcast: "You can see how much he's got the car on the limit.

"It's very fast when you watch it, but you can just see where he brakes, how he's got the car on the limit, the way the car moves, how precise he is, and how consistent he is with that precision of line. He's constantly doing the same thing. 

"He's just very, very good for somebody who has so little experience in the car.

"So, fast forward to Antonelli having six years of experience in Formula 1, when he's at his peak, and I think we have a generational talent. I really do think he's that good."