Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve has blasted Ferrari and its drivers, and blames Ferrari’s mess in the past for their current position.
During an interview, Villeneuve didn’t mince his words, as he openly criticized Ferrari for their decisions. He also ripped into their choice of drivers, and questioned their approach in recent years. When asked how the Prancing Horse’s future might be, Villeneuve didn’t hold back, blasting Ferrari and its drivers
“They made a big mess in the past, ending up betting everything on 2022, and nothing on this year,” Villeneuve said.
“First they wanted to be a totally Italian team, then they changed their minds. The best men have been sent away, and some of them now work in Mercedes. What they pay on the track is the result of choices dating back to five years ago.
“There was a step forward on the engine, and the potential can be seen, but realizing it will not be easy,” he said.
Villeneuve was also asked to give his thoughts on the two Ferrari drivers, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc. He was critical of them as well, and questioned Ferrari’s kind of driver required.
“To look for a winning direction, you have to follow the indications of the strongest,” he said.
“Either the two drivers have a similar driving style, and it doesn’t seem to be the case, or it will depend on who will be able to provide the best ideas. Red Bull took advantage of Verstappen and in his hands today, the car is an arrow. No one else will be so comfortable,” he said.
Not quite the case
Villeneuve certainly didn’t hold back, but the Canadian legend is perhaps a little lost here. Sainz and Leclerc are great drivers, and Ferrari choosing them is part of the reason why they are challenging for P3 in the first place.
While there is some truth in the statements about Ferrari focusing on 2022, they haven’t thrown the current season away. In fact, they sit ahead of rivals McLaren after the Hungarian Grand Prix. So maybe Villeneuve isn’t entirely right, and needs to watch what’s happening more closely.
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