Ex-driver and pundit Jacques Villeneuve has claimed Lewis Hamilton’s battles with team-mate Charles Leclerc during the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix ruined Ferrari’s race.
One of the highlights of the Chinese Grand Prix was the exciting battles between the Ferrari duo, but could the battles have prevented Ferrari from achieving better results?
Villeneuve certainly thinks so.
Rant Sport writer Ella Magyar looks at Jacques Villeneuve’s statements on Lewis Hamilton following the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix.
The race
The Chinese Grand Prix saw Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc finish the race in third and fourth, respectively.
They spent the initial phase of the race fighting with Mercedes’ George Russell until he eventually got past.
The rest of their race was defined by constant battles for position between the Ferrari pair for the final podium place.
Hamilton eventually came out on top and claimed his first Grand Prix podium for Ferrari.
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Villeneuve’s criticisms
During his duties as a pundit for Sky Sports F1, Villeneuve claimed the fight was “fair” and “turned out OK”, but was “a little bit extreme, and it destroyed Ferrari’s race”.
“They were fighting so hard, destroying their tyres, and in those two laps they lost five seconds to Antonelli,” he added.
He also warned Ferrari that “if they keep taking lap time away from each other like this”, they will allow Mercedes to run away in the championship.
Pundit and the team boss fight back
Fellow pundit and racer Jamie Chadwick opposed Villeneuve’s comments.
“I don’t think Mercedes were their battle today though”, she said.
Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur also disagreed, stating that it was “ok”.
Taking it a step further, Vasseur stated that it was actually “good for the team” and he “would prefer it to stay like this”.
My take
I believe Villeneuve’s comments are inflated, and I am inclined to side with Chadwick and Vasseur.
To say that the battles cost the team a chance at a double podium or a potential win is a stretch when looking at the numbers.
Yes, battling with any car will cost you time to the car in front.
However, Hamilton ended up 20 seconds behind Russell in second and 25 seconds off the lead.
Leclerc was a further 3.5 seconds behind Hamilton.
Their fastest laps were also not enough to challenge the Mercedes with an eight-tenths deficit for the Ferrari pair to Antonelli’s best time.
Ferrari’s fight wasn’t with Mercedes – it was within.
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