Ferrari “completely lost” as Lewis Hamilton gamble ‘amplifies’ struggles in 2025

1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve says Ferrari are “utterly misplaced” following one other disappointing weekend on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Ferrari noticed their vehicles end eighth and ninth in Baku final weekend.

It proved to be one other lacklustre exhibiting from Ferrari regardless of some promising tempo in follow, significantly within the palms of Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton was knocked out in Q2 after Ferrari didn’t give him a brand new set of tyres for the ultimate minutes of the session.

Charles Leclerc binned his Ferrari in Q3 and was placed on a sub-optimal technique.

The main focus after the race was Hamilton’s failure to provide the place again to Leclerc on the ultimate lap after being ordered to take action.

Nevertheless, because it was over eighth place, the scenario didn’t annoy Leclerc.

Ferrari “utterly misplaced proper now”

Ferrari are the one staff inside the highest 4 of the constructors’ championship with no race victory in F1 2025.

Leclerc got here closest on the Monaco Grand Prix, ending second.

Equally, Leclerc ran effectively on the Hungaroring, having began the race on pole.

Leclerc’s race was ruined as he was compelled to again off on account of a chassis-related difficulty.

Chatting with OLBG, Villeneuve defined why Ferrari’s struggles have solely been “amplified” by signing Hamilton for this 12 months.

Villeneuve stated: “Ferrari are utterly misplaced proper now and clearly want some course,” he stated. “Lewis is huge there. Each Lewis and Ferrari took a danger by going collectively as a result of if the staff doesn’t go effectively with the picture that Lewis and the eye that Lewis brings to the staff, it makes it even larger.

“No matter is sweet or no matter is dangerous is amplified by having Lewis there. When races go incorrect, a season goes incorrect, it appears worse than it’s and vice versa.

“That’s what Lewis additionally brings to the desk and that’s the gamble Ferrari took and Ferrari has the identical impact on the driving force. They simply compound and double the impact. It’s at all times been like this with Ferraris. It’s both nice or terrible to a much bigger extent. However if you put Lewis in it, that is even a much bigger idea.

“It was the identical with Lewis. That’s the factor when you could have such an enormous picture. And Ferrari is likely one of the greatest pictures. However Lewis is the largest picture as effectively within the sport globally. So, the impact is large.

“There’ve been some actually actually dangerous Ferrari seasons, however we didn’t discover them as a lot. But it surely’s one season. Let’s not neglect. Subsequent 12 months it nearly begins from zero for everybody.

“So, it may very well be an ideal starting for Ferrari subsequent season. They get to the primary race, the engine is nice, the automobile is improbable, and it takes some time for everybody else to catch up. That’s what they will need to have of their thoughts proper now. I don’t assume they’re specializing in the remainder of 2025. 2026 is coming.”