Driver turned commentator David Coulthard believes it is too soon to label Formula 1 championship leader Kimi Antonelli as "exceptional", but revealed when he believes the time will be right to pass that judgement.

Antonelli sits atop the F1 drivers' standings as the youngest pole sitter and championship leader in the history of the sport. Also the second-youngest race winner, it may seem harsh to deny the Italian teenager the "exceptional" tag, but Coulthard explained just why the moment is too soon for such an accolade.

Speaking on the Up to Speed podcast, the former McLaren driver said: “I think he is very, very good. Is he exceptional? I don’t think anyone knows right now, because you need to stay in the trenches, I’m quoting Mark Webber, all year long. 

"It’s not just about showing at the beginning of the season when everyone is bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Do you have the energy, the resilience, the hunger, the fight, the nous, to be able to work within the team in a way that will grate against your team-mate. 

"You’re not there to sow friends, you’re there to get what you can out of the team. That, for me, is when we will really know.

“I say this with some confidence, because I didn’t have it, so I know what not having it will get you, and I want to see if he’s got it.

“We know that Max [Verstappen] has it, we know Lewis [Hamilton] has got it. We know there are some other drivers that – Fernando [Alonso] hasn’t had the chance for some time, but he has it, let’s say.”

Antonelli's rookie season last term was a mixed bag, with a strong start and end to the year surrounding an underwhelming European campaign. 

Entering 2026 in what was expected to be the best car on the grid, Antonelli has taken his chances, and made the most of some poor luck for team-mate George Russell. But questions about his ability to string a season together are likely to persist until well into the European leg of the season, given his struggles on more familiar ground last term. 

Adding her thoughts, pundit Naomi Schiff added: "I personally do think I’ve seen something special in him. I don’t know if I would go as far as to say yet that he is going to be one of the greats; we don’t know that yet. 

"But he’s had a couple of spectacular comeback drives, and yes, he’s giving him a hard time, particularly this year, with his bad starts and then he’s coming through with more pace, but I do think that we’re seeing somewhat of a diamond in the rough in that when the opportunity is there and, ironically, when he is under pressure, I do think that he shines. Is that going to be enough? We’re going to have to wait and see. 

"But I think that there are some things there that we can say already at this early stage of his career are going to turn into brilliant things down the line.”