1997 Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve has argued that Ferrari must throw its full weight behind Lewis Hamilton if the Maranello outfit is to have any chance of winning the 2026 championship, following the British driver's breakthrough victory at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.
The seven-time champion secured his maiden grand prix victory as a Ferrari driver in Barcelona, which not only ended his win drought but also gave him a 40-point advantage over his team-mate Charles Leclerc in the drivers' standings.
Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 Show, Villeneuve explained that Ferrari is in a position to back Hamilton's title bid, comparing it to the intra-team battle at Mercedes between Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.
"Lewis knows how to win, and he knows what it takes. And if he gets a sniff of it, there won't be any quarter. And I think that's where he can make the difference," the Canadian said. "And Mercedes right now is not in a position to be able or allowed to choose a driver over another. Well, Ferrari is because Ferrari has to focus on Lewis if they want a small chance of winning.
"So the decision is easy to make because Charles Leclerc is quite far back. And you were saying before, Leclerc had time to build the team around him, and he didn't. Bear in mind how he came into Ferrari was after an average season at Sauber, and suddenly given the huge mega contract, like a world champion contract, maybe too big too soon, too much too soon.
"So he's never really had to build anything around him. It was given. He was quick and that was plenty because the perception was, 'Well, that's a car that cannot win a championship anyway'. You win a few races, you beat your team-mate, who was Vettel, everybody was happy.
"Then suddenly comes in Lewis. Last year was not having a great season, he's really having a hard time with the car and the team. It takes time to build this around yourself. So Leclerc's quite happy; he's looking good next to Lewis, but the minute Lewis woke up, the minute Lewis made that car and that team his own and he's going for it and doesn't give any quarter, Leclerc is not prepared for that."
