The Monaco Grand Prix has raised the benchmark even higher around Kimi Antonelli in the 2026 Formula 1 season. The victory in the Principality, which came after securing pole position and executing a race managed with an almost surreal natural ease amidst Safety Cars, a red flag, a standing restart, and Lewis Hamilton looming in his rearview mirrors, has transformed the Italian Mercedes driver from a highly promising prospect into a legitimate title favorite in the F1 World Championship battle. Against this backdrop remains a complex period for Scuderia Ferrari: Lewis Hamilton stood on the podium after a very solid weekend, while Charles Leclerc concluded his home Grand Prix in the barrier after days heavily compromised by brake issues, a public dispute with Brembo, and the persistent feeling of an SF-26 that is competitive but not yet complete enough to consistently take the fight to Mercedes. For this reason, following the events of Monaco, we asked Davide Valsecchi to interpret the current state of Formula 1 from the perspective of someone who has truly experienced the race track.
As a former racing driver, GP2 champion, and currently the recognizable face of F1 TV following his years as a Sky Italia commentator, the 39-year-old from Brescia possesses a direct, instinctive, and completely unscripted outlook. In this exclusive interview, he explains exactly what impressed him most about Kimi Antonelli’s triumph at Monte Carlo: it was not just the raw speed, but the absolute confidence with which he dominated a race that in recent history has often devolved strictly into tyre management and extreme caution. According to Davide Valsecchi, Kimi Antonelli sounded as relaxed as if he were sitting in a casual café while conversing over the team radio, and he looks fully prepared to claim the world title. However, the most compelling point of discussion focuses on his developmental pathway; the former driver believes it was a stroke of absolute luck that the young talent from Bologna developed within the Mercedes pipeline under the direct protection of Toto Wolff, rather than being subjected immediately to the crushing pressure of Maranello. The interview also touches upon the current struggles facing Charles Leclerc, the competitive resurgence of Lewis Hamilton, the ongoing Ferrari brake configuration debate, the technical limitations of the SF-26, and the upcoming Formula 1 regulatory changes.
Is Kimi Antonelli already a complete grand prix driver?
Let us begin with Kimi Antonelli. Winning in Monaco at just 19 years old, from pole position, while flawlessly handling Safety Cars, a red flag, a standing restart, and keeping Lewis Hamilton behind: is this the definitive victory that certifies we are no longer looking at a mere prospect, but an entirely complete racing driver?
“The true certification probably arrived by his second or third victory of the season. Perhaps by that second win, we already had our definitive confirmation. Having said that, this particular race perfectly highlighted a talent that perhaps not everyone had previously seen as so completely crystal clear. He won directly ahead of Lewis Hamilton, whom he honestly beat like a drum for the entire duration of the event. I do not think he ever felt genuinely threatened. However, it is the exact manner in which he secured this victory that leaves such a massive impression.”
What exactly caught your attention the most during his race?
“In recent seasons, whoever started from the front of the grid in Monaco usually drove with an overwhelming fear of losing the race. When you start from pole position at Monte Carlo, you have already completed eighty percent of the job; if you lose it after that, it means either you or the strategy department threw it away through a major mistake. Because of this, we frequently saw the race leader driving slowly, only pushing during the specific laps required to guarantee they stayed ahead during the pit stop windows or restarts. Kimi Antonelli, on the other hand, absolutely punished everyone from the first lap to the final corner. I do not know if he was pushing at one hundred percent, and personally, I think he was maintaining a steady ninety-five percent. But it was all the other drivers who, when faced with that relentless pace, likely told themselves: ‘This is far too risky, I cannot match him, I need to drive at my own pace.'”
So Monaco has fundamentally altered the paddock’s perception of his ultimate potential?
“Yes, because in addition to a qualifying pole position that was pure magic, he possessed the mental strength, raw talent, and the balls in the race to completely destroy the opposition, completely ignoring the slow management tactics, the tightly packed trains, and everything we have grown accustomed to seeing in recent years. In qualifying, he went head-to-head against Max Verstappen in the final sector, and we know Max Verstappen has already produced absolute miracles at Monte Carlo. He clashed directly with the greatest driver on the grid and emerged victorious. I saw a tremendous amount of special attributes in him, far more than what is visible in many of his direct competitors.”
How is his performance currently being evaluated by the international media?
“On an international level, they had massively undervalued his capabilities. Just as I had underestimated him myself. Watching him compete two years ago in Formula 2 during weekends shared with Formula 1, I noted he was good. However, I did not think he was this profoundly special. Toto Wolff certainly did not underestimate him. Neither did the people who watched him dominate in karting or Formula 4—those who kept repeating that we had not seen a driver like this arrive in the sport for many years.”
What has completely transformed the competitive picture this season?
“When I initially observed him in Formula 2 and during his transition into Formula 1, I admitted he possessed genuine talent. On two or three occasions in full wet conditions, he displayed a terrifying amount of raw speed. But this year, he has become a complete package. He always had the talent, but he required the ideal conditions and the underlying confidence to fully unlock it. This year, those conditions arrived: a car built to completely new regulations that evidently suits his specific driving style perfectly. It is not that he unlocked his potential; he released it all in one sudden burst. It is as if he possessed an extra power setting and suddenly mashed the button.”
The innate nature of raw speed and inner calm
What is the singular attribute that impresses you the most when analyzing Kimi Antonelli?
“I have always believed that raw, unadulterated speed is his greatest asset. The one thing you absolutely cannot purchase in motorsport is pure speed. If you pay close attention, this line of thinking is almost always verified by the fact that when you see a youngster who is exceptionally brilliant, ten years later you see them in Formula 1 going like an absolute maniac. When you watched Lewis Hamilton in go-karts, you knew he was a force of nature. In Formula 1, he became a force of nature in terms of speed. I saw Robert Kubica in karts when he was just a little child, and I immediately stated that he was the best driver out there. In Formula 1, he proved to be incredibly special. When people witnessed Max Verstappen in his youth, everyone said he was a force of nature; we saw him enter Formula 1, and he remains a force of nature.”
So supreme speed is something you either possess innately or you don’t?
“Yes. The finest quality Kimi Antonelli possesses, in my opinion, is natural speed. That is something you can rarely buy. You can refine it across your professional career, but it is not as if you are slow in karting and suddenly become blisteringly fast in Formula 1. It is entirely innate.”
Was there any specific aspect of his performance that caught you off guard?
“I certainly did not anticipate that level of unshakeable confidence, absolute tranquility, and the lighthearted jokes over the team radio with his race engineer while he was actively winning at Monte Carlo. I have rarely seen a Monaco victory achieved with such ease. In fact, in recent history, never. Since I began commentating on Formula 1, it is the most beautiful victory I have ever witnessed there due to the sheer certainty of how it materialized. Very often in recent years, Monaco was purely about strategic management and constant dialogue with the pit wall. Here, what was there to manage? Even if a Safety Car had emerged, he would have won regardless. Even if the team had messed up a pit stop, he held such a massive margin that he still would have won. He could have been entirely on his own and won it anyway. And then he was joking over the radio, sounding like he was chatting in a bar. That specific element actually scared me.”
“I dislike comparisons intensely, but I immediately thought that it is best to avoid making them for his own sake. His performances are so beautiful that it would be a shame. Let him forge his own unique path; perhaps in five years, we will stand here saying that the comparisons which once seemed enormous were actually selling him short.”
Mercedes provided him with the definitive benchmark car of this opening phase of the season. How much did that technical advantage accelerate his development?
“It was highly influential because it allowed him to taste victory. In my view, such a rapid acceleration in growth triggered from his very first win. Following that initial victory, he began beating George Russell like a drum. It carries massive weight to certify, at such a young age, that you have won a Formula 1 grand prix. It allows you to unburden yourself, build immense confidence, and tell yourself: ‘If I achieved it once, why can’t I do it again?’ The immense hurdle is securing that first one; after that, you must be skilled at maintaining consistency. But the first time breaks a psychological barrier.”
Does that first victory fundamentally shift a driver’s mental status?
“Yes. It is equivalent to attending the Olympic Games and saying you are an Olympian. But then you become an Olympic medalist. It matters immensely. Having the mechanical machinery to unlock that status is crucial. However, his deep confidence was not provided strictly by the car. Even with a car capable only of fifth place, after a few races, he likely would have started beating George Russell anyway. It simply would have taken a bit more time. This ideal situation gave him an immediate launchpad.”
Given his current lead in the standings, can we argue that the championship is now his to lose, or is it too early?
“No, he will win it. It is not that he can lose it; he will win it. He holds a massive points advantage and, above all, he possesses this absolute security alongside a car that appears to work flawlessly regardless of setup changes. He shares a technical symbiosis with that machine which is incredibly difficult to dismantle in a short period.”
Who can realistically put him under pressure?
“Anything can happen in life, but if he remains focused, avoids foolish mistakes, and approaches Formula 1 with absolute calmness—without being pathologically obsessed with winning but rather focusing on maximizing each weekend’s result—it is very hard to see him losing given his current form. Look at the technical reliability he enjoys as well. His direct rivals are consistently plagued by technical anomalies, while he never experiences a single issue. From a purely sporting perspective, I would say his primary threat remains Max Verstappen. Lando Norris is the one taking the most risks; he is driving brilliantly, and McLaren traditionally improves throughout a season. But he has suffered far too many issues. When you factor in the reliability woes of the others and look at the points table, it is clear: he simply needs to stay calm.”
Why Ferrari pressure would have burned Antonelli out too soon
For years in Italy, local drivers were media-shadowed by the presence of Ferrari. This time, the definitive Italian reference in F1 is Kimi Antonelli rather than Maranello. Is that a positive development?
“It is a good thing. I am genuinely happy. Even though I support Ferrari—because when you travel the paddock there are a lot of Italians working across various teams and you naturally root for them—I am thrilled that an Italian driver has put them all in their place. If someone else has to win, I prefer it to be an Italian driver. I am completely honest about that.”
There are fans who ask: why did Ferrari not sign him up early?
“I occasionally read comments asking why Ferrari did not secure him. There is plenty of time. Isn’t it far better if Ferrari signs him when he is 25 or 26 years old, perhaps already as an established world champion? In the meantime, he is winning in Formula 1. There will be plenty of time for him to head to Maranello in the future.”
So it was beneficial for Kimi Antonelli not to start his career facing the immediate pressure of Ferrari?
“In my opinion, absolutely. Look at the intense pressure that Charles Leclerc occasionally has to handle, despite having fully proven himself as a proven winner in Formula 1. Imagine a young Italian driver stepping into Ferrari last year with a car that was struggling for results. He might have had a terrible season similar to what Lewis Hamilton experienced, and just imagine what the press, the media, and the public would have done to him. We were incredibly lucky that he went to Mercedes. Yes, they are rivals, but he blossomed in a far more serene environment. Above all, Toto Wolff provided him with immense tranquility and protection when he needed it most. In that regard, Toto was an absolute master.”
How heavily does the managerial role of Toto Wolff weigh in this entire story?
“Toto Wolff saw things that even seasoned experts struggled to spot. He believed in him even when many paddock insiders expressed serious doubts. In the end, he is winning him a World Championship; this is why Toto Wolff is the sharpest manager among us. Kimi Antonelli found his ultimate mentor in Wolff, the man who managed him and pointed out the path. And the data proves he is nearly infallible. Credit to both of them.”
Scuderia Ferrari’s internal dynamics and Charles Leclerc’s brake crisis
Let us pivot to Scuderia Ferrari. Monaco appeared to be the perfect opportunity, yet it yielded a second-place finish for Lewis Hamilton and a messy weekend for Charles Leclerc that ended in a crash. Is this Ferrari team ready for a title charge, or are they still incomplete?
“I do not know about incomplete, because we are talking about Formula 1: there are no incomplete cars here. There are simply formidable rivals. These are the finest engineers in the world, paired with elite drivers and top-tier designers. Winning is incredibly difficult. I know that on paper Ferrari is expected to win, but as has often happened in recent years, this year they are placed near the front but are not the winners. End of story; let us settle for podiums. The car is good, but simply not good enough. It has encountered an insurmountable rival in Mercedes, particularly in the hands of Kimi Antonelli.”
However, within Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton is executing strongly. Did you expect this level of adaptation?
“It surprises me how strongly Lewis Hamilton is performing. I know Charles Leclerc has suffered technical anomalies, various bouts of bad luck, and perhaps strategic choices that were not entirely perfect. This ongoing brake saga is clearly putting him in a difficult position. But independent of Charles Leclerc’s issues, Lewis Hamilton has not been defeated in the internal team battle over the last two events; across qualifying and the race, he was fast. He is doing remarkably well. If you look at the championship table compared to what he showed us last season—where we saw practically nothing of his true capabilities and talent—this year Lewis Hamilton is once again operating as a truly great racer.”
What kind of Lewis Hamilton are we witnessing this year?
“Perhaps he is a slightly older version of Lewis Hamilton, who might not always extract that absolute final tenth of a second in qualifying, but this year he is a fantastic racer. Almost zero mistakes, consistently fast relative to his teammate and the rest of the field, and always constructive in his radio communications, overall attitude, and media interviews. I am deeply enjoying Lewis Hamilton’s attitude and approach this year, whereas last year, strictly from a sporting perspective, I was almost growing to dislike his demeanor.”
Without entering the political finger-pointing with Brembo, how critical is absolute braking confidence for a driver’s psyche?
“It is absolutely paramount. I watched Charles Leclerc’s mistake and from the outside, my immediate thought was that he had simply run wide. However, listening to his post-race statements, I realized that perhaps when he applied pressure to the brake pedal, the chassis did not react instantly in the manner he anticipated. A fraction of a second is all it takes to end up half a meter wide in Formula 1. At Monte Carlo, behind a Safety Car, you travel slowly and brake lightly: the immediate reactivity, the ability to bring the discs instantly into the operating window, and the physical feedback reaching the driver are entirely decisive. We on the outside only hear the public declaration, but we do not feel the real physical difficulty. For me, the issue isn’t questioning the global quality of a technical supplier, but understanding how easy it is for the driver to keep the brakes in optimum condition.”
“Charles Leclerc stated he struggled all weekend. It leads me to believe he struggled to maintain ideal thermal windows in the brakes, but that is my personal theory because he did not explain it in precise detail. The problem is that if you hint that a massive technical malfunction occurred but avoid specifying what it was, it creates massive confusion. And indeed, a political case has been opened.”
Charles Leclerc has recently committed to a long-term contract extension with Ferrari, yet he has been beaten by Lewis Hamilton in the latest rounds. Could this impact the trust between the driver and the Scuderia?
“The performance trajectory Charles Leclerc had established in recent years was stellar. He had Sebastian Vettel as a teammate and effectively escorted him toward the conclusion of his Ferrari career: he arrived, beat him, and Sebastian Vettel subsequently moved to a midfield team like Aston Martin before retiring. Then he faced Carlos Sainz, who made him work incredibly hard because Carlos Sainz is highly intelligent, consistent, and clever. Yet, ultimately, Charles Leclerc emerged on top from that partnership as well, beating him across their years together more often than not.”
Is the dynamic fundamentally different with Lewis Hamilton?
“When Lewis Hamilton arrived, one might have thought: if Lewis does not approach this Ferrari chapter with total focus, desire, and an ability to adapt, Charles Leclerc risks escorting Lewis Hamilton toward the end of his career too. Last year, that was practically happening. However, this year Lewis Hamilton started strongly, stated immediately that he enjoyed the new technical regulations, and arrived fully energized. And you must never give world champions that kind of positive feeling.”
So right now, who do you see ahead in the internal Ferrari battle?
“My feeling is that Charles Leclerc still possesses a bit more outright pace at the moment. He has endured two race weekends marred by technical complications: let us provide them with identical braking hardware and, in my view, from Barcelona onward, he will resume being the faster driver. By the end of the year, I believe Charles Leclerc will finish ahead. If I am proven wrong, I would be happy for Lewis Hamilton. A career conclusion like the one we saw last year, or during his final Mercedes seasons, would have been a massive shame for a driver of his stature. Seeing him knocked out in Q1 at Las Vegas in wet conditions, where he has historically been supreme, was almost painful to watch for such a great champion. In that scenario, I would be genuinely happy for Lewis.”
Critique of the hybrid regulations and the road to 2027
Let us look at the rulebook: for 2027, there are ongoing discussions regarding technical corrections and shifting the power balance back to a 60-40 split in favor of the internal combustion engine. Would you support this change?
“I will be entirely honest with you: these regulatory stories have grown a bit tiring. For months, the authorities claimed that complaints were only originating from drivers who were slow or lacked a winning car. Max Verstappen was far from the only driver to state early on that these cars were incredibly difficult to manage. The establishment attacked all of them, yet they continue to propose constant modifications. Make up your minds. In my view, they overreached with these technical regulations; they pushed things much too far. We are seeing far too many technical issues. Technical failures have always been part of Formula 1’s DNA, but if you take a hard, aggressive stance in your initial public declarations, you must maintain that line until the end. You don’t pivot by the third race and backtrack on energy harvesting rules.”
So the problem lies heavily within their communication strategy?
“Yes. In their public statements, they consistently declare that they are correct and the rest of us simply do not understand. Yet they are continuously proposing updates. I strongly disliked the sheer aggressiveness with which they told the drivers to remain silent, only to eat their words by the third round and introduce modifications. I do not have a definitive technical verdict. Let them do as they please, provided they listen to the drivers a bit more and ensure we are entertained.”
Do these current 2026 technical regulations convince you?
“I am thoroughly enjoying watching Formula 1 this year, but I am not convinced these are the correct technical regulations for the sport. There is far too much emphasis placed on the electrical component. The drivers say it, everyone says it. If you subsequently want to scale it back, go ahead and do it. But do not tell everyone they are foolish first, only to change your mind later. Simply state: ‘We have re-evaluated the regulations, and we believe it is better to pivot backward.’ Just do it, period.”
In conclusion, Davide Valsecchi’s blunt assessment of the paddock hierarchy underscores the high-stakes pressure points defining the modern championship. As Kimi Antonelli continues his dominant run under the stable wing of Mercedes, the contrasting technical hurdles facing Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton demonstrate how quickly internal fortunes can shift ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.
Leave a Reply