F1: Davide Valsecchi applauds Kimi Antonelli’s speed and criticizes Ferrari’s impatience. Davide Valsecchi praises Kimi Antonelli’s impressive speed and growth with Mercedes.

The Canadian Grand Prix is now behind us, where Mercedes delivered its strongest performance of the season with George Russell’s victory. Kimi Antonelli secured the first podium of his career, and praise quickly followed from Davide Valsecchi. The F1TV commentator also took the opportunity to throw a jab at Ferrari and its typically Italian approach.

A bright future in Formula 1 lies ahead for the young Mercedes talent, but there’s no need to rush. Results will come in time, and for now the focus must be on developing maturity both on and off the track. Kimi has already shown the speed needed to win, but there is still significant room for growth, and the key is having the patience to wait for that development.

Praise for Kimi and a dig at Ferrari
In an episode of the podcast The Red Flags, Davide Valsecchi spoke about Kimi Antonelli’s talent, praising the young driver. The start of the season has been positive, but he urged caution: “I want to stay low-key. In Italy we’re known for jumping to conclusions. We’re known for having an uncompetitive car and changing the Team Principal, just like Ferrari.” That was the jab from the former Formula 2 World Champion.

“I’m grateful he’s with Mercedes and with Toto Wolff. They’re patient and haven’t put pressure on the boy. He had a crash in Monza and signed the contract the next day. Kimi has the time to learn how to become an F1 driver.” This season, we’ve already seen flashes of his talent, and as Davide emphasized, “His speed is impressive.”

In the last Grand Prix, we saw him battle Oscar Piastri on the first lap for third place. A comparison was drawn with the Australian driver: “Kimi’s learning curve is similar to Oscar Piastri’s. Not many drivers have overtaken Oscar this season. His race pace has sometimes matched Russell’s, even when he finished behind him.”

Davide Valsecchi was asked why Kimi has struggled on circuits he knows well: “At Imola he was under pressure. The family, the photos, his teammates. And the car wasn’t great either. I don’t know why he’s so strong on tracks he hasn’t raced before. We’d have to ask him. I can’t think of any reason. If you’re fast on a new track, that’s talent.”