Jacques Villeneuve defends his remarks, insisting his criticism of Daniel Ricciardo sparked valuable debate without harming the Australian driver.
Villeneuve is pleased to have sparked a debate about Daniel Ricciardo’s place in Formula 1. The 1997 F1 World Champion had stated that the Australian remains in the sport largely due to his popularity, and he is glad that his comments initiated a discussion about the balance between talent and commercial appeal.
“It never crossed my mind that I wanted people to agree with me. It triggered many reactions, both negative and positive. A lot of people openly discussed the topic,” Villeneuve told Mirror Sport.
“This isn’t about destroying someone, but rather about facing reality. I think people understood, ‘Jacques isn’t wrong; let’s discuss this in depth,’ and that’s what happened. That’s what I’m happy about.”
“My feelings wouldn’t be different if Daniel Ricciardo had stayed at Red Bull. I’m not saying, ‘Oh, I’m glad he left F1.’ I’m simply pleased to have brought reality to light. The goal is to give people enough to think about, and that’s what makes me happy.”
Villeneuve denies having harmed Ricciardo with his statements, emphasizing that his remarks were not aimed directly at the driver himself: “Daniel still has a great image and career. It hasn’t done him any harm.”
“It was simply a conversation about the racing industry, which has strayed somewhat from what truly matters. It was about voicing what everyone was thinking. It’s not about me feeling justified whether he is excluded from F1 or not.”
The Canadian also raises questions about Liam Lawson, who is set to face Max Verstappen at Red Bull. While he acknowledges the performance of Ricciardo’s replacement at RB F1, he expresses concerns about Lawson’s mentality.
“We’ve seen drivers join their main team and burn out very quickly. Lawson has been quick and has done a good job in the main team. However, Lawson’s attitude is strange and could eventually cause issues.”
“He is very arrogant for someone with so little experience. We’ll see how that attitude works with Max and within the team. If Lawson is fast and pushes Max, there will be friction. But if there’s no friction, it means they’re not winners.”
“No one likes young drivers coming in and challenging them. New Zealand isn’t a country that brings significant value to F1 or its sponsors. They wouldn’t have considered that. They just want the best drivers.”
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Villeneuve takes pride in stirring discussion by criticising Ricciardo Villeneuve takes pride in stirring discussion by criticising Ricciardo
