Villeneuve attributes Hamilton's tough Ferrari start to 'untouchable' mindset from dominant Mercedes era
Jacques Villeneuve suggests Lewis Hamilton's difficult first year at Ferrari stems from growing accustomed to Mercedes' dominance, making it hard to reignite his fighting spirit. The 1997 champion argues Hamilton's titles came with a major car advantage, creating an 'untouchable' mindset that slows a driver down when faced with a real fight.
1997 Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve has offered a critical assessment of Lewis Hamilton's challenging debut season with Ferrari, suggesting the seven-time champion grew accustomed to winning too easily during his dominant Mercedes years and has struggled to reignite his competitive fire.
Why it matters:
Villeneuve's comments cut to the heart of a major narrative in F1: how a driver adapts after years of dominance. Hamilton's move from the sport's most successful modern team to a rebuilding Ferrari was always a high-risk, high-reward proposition. A season with zero wins, podiums, or poles—a career first for Hamilton—has intensified scrutiny on whether the legendary driver can rediscover his peak form in a less dominant car and against a highly competitive teammate in Charles Leclerc.
The details:
- Villeneuve, speaking on the High Performance Podcast, argued that Hamilton's championships at Mercedes were won with a significant car advantage, which may have dulled the relentless edge required to fight at the front in a tighter field.
- He pointed specifically to Hamilton's 2016 title loss to teammate Nico Rosberg as evidence, stating it was "the one fight he did have... and he lost."
- The Canadian's core thesis is psychological: "Once you start believing you’re untouchable, you slow down." He suggests Hamilton "got used to the easy years" and that "it’s hard to get the diesel going again" after backing off.
- Villeneuve elaborated that Mercedes' technical supremacy, particularly after the introduction of the turbo-hybrid V6 engine in 2014, meant victories were often assured. "Every time things got close, they just turned up the power. It was all there, ready in hand," he claimed.
Between the lines:
The critique, while stark, highlights the immense challenge Hamilton faces. His unparalleled success was built on a synergy of supreme talent and the best machinery. At Ferrari, the machinery is not yet at that level, placing a different kind of pressure on the driver. His recent visit to the Maranello factory, engaging with team employees, signals a full commitment to the long-term project, acknowledging that success will require rebuilding from the ground up, not just stepping into a ready-made winner.
What's next:
The 2026 season becomes a pivotal chapter. The pressure will be on Hamilton to demonstrate he can lead Ferrari's development charge and extract maximum performance from a car that is, on paper, not the fastest on the grid. His ability to adapt his driving and mindset—to fight for podiums rather than expect victories—will be the true test of Villeneuve's hypothesis and will define the final act of Hamilton's historic career.