Jacques Villeneuve, former Formula 1 world champion, makes a bold claim about Leclerc: “He’s taken a backseat since Lewis arrived”
It was never in doubt that Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari would dominate headlines. Ever since the announcement in February 2024, the spotlight on the Prancing Horse has intensified: the seven-time world champion’s global appeal is unmatched, generating tens of millions of likes across social media platforms.
At the moment, though, it’s Leclerc who leads in the standings — with 20 points compared to Hamilton’s 15. Both drivers were hit by a post-race disqualification in China, but Leclerc’s consistent performances have somewhat dimmed the hype around car #44, especially given the underwhelming pace of the SF-25.
Villeneuve’s take
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Jacques Villeneuve didn’t hold back: “This isn’t a short-term project. The first thing Lewis needed to do — and has already done, or almost — is take control of the team. Make it his. And take it away from Leclerc. All winter, the talk was about Lewis and Ferrari, and that inevitably pushed Charles into the background. Then came the time to prove it on track — and with a pole and a Sprint win in China, he delivered. The team is his now.”
Too soon to say? Not for Gilles Villeneuve’s son: “When you’re Lewis Hamilton, things change fast.”
Villeneuve’s words, however, contrast with what we saw in Suzuka: Leclerc delivered a flawless weekend, finishing P4 in both the Sprint and the Grand Prix — arguably the best Ferrari could do — while Hamilton was largely anonymous, qualifying 8th and finishing 7th in the race.
Still, the message is clear: Lewis hasn’t joined Ferrari to play second fiddle. And after his breakout performance in Shanghai — despite the SF-25 still trailing the likes of Mercedes, Verstappen, and McLaren — his presence is already shifting the internal balance at Maranello.
For the Tifosi, Leclerc remains the golden boy. But within the team? Things might be starting to tilt, nearly three months into the Hamilton era.
Doohan-Briatore: Villeneuve’s other firestorm
Villeneuve isn’t new to stirring up the paddock. Just days ago, commenting on Jack Doohan’s mistake in FP2 and the pressure from Flavio Briatore, he was just as blunt: “Jack is driving desperately because Briatore is putting him under pressure. You can tell he’s not comfortable. No one drives normally in that kind of situation.”
Words that, inevitably, continue to fuel debate.
Photo: Scuderia Ferrari HP
