P1racenews AI automatic summary:
“Whatever is good or whatever is bad is amplified by having Lewis there. When races go wrong, a season goes wrong, it looks worse than it is and vice versa.”
1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve expressed his belief that Ferrari are currently “completely lost” following a disappointing weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where their cars finished in eighth and ninth place. Despite showing promising pace in practice, Ferrari underperformed during the race, with Lewis Hamilton being eliminated in Q2 due to a strategy error. Charles Leclerc’s race was marred by a suboptimal strategy after crashing his Ferrari in Q3.
Ferrari, being the only top-four constructor without a victory in the 2025 F1 season, struggle to find success despite competitive performances from Leclerc, who finished second in Monaco and had a strong showing at the Hungaroring. Villeneuve believes that Ferrari’s struggles have been further highlighted by the high-profile signing of Lewis Hamilton, whose presence magnifies both the team’s successes and failures. The former champion emphasizes the significant impact of Hamilton’s global image on Ferrari’s performance, creating a heightened level of scrutiny and pressure.
Villeneuve suggests that Ferrari must regroup and look towards the future, focusing on the potential opportunities for improvement in the upcoming seasons rather than dwelling on the setbacks of the current year. With the 2026 season on the horizon, Villeneuve encourages Ferrari to reset their expectations and strive for a fresh start, harnessing the potential for success in the future.
