Known for his fiery temperament and candid commentary, Villeneuve has recently voiced strong opinions on various Formula 1 matters
He has been critical of Red Bull’s decision to renew Sergio Perez’s contract and expressed strong disapproval of Kevin Magnussen’s involvement in a collision with Perez at the Monaco Grand Prix two weeks ago.
Villeneuve went so far as to suggest that the Haas driver should face a ban.
“Especially with Kevin Magnussen, there is something wrong, and there is more and more of it in F1,” Villeneuve said.
“You see drivers with zero race craft, zero common sense, or understanding of what is actually going on. There is an absence of logic on what is happening on the race track. They have no spatial awareness.”
Villeneuve criticised the current state of driver training, noting: “You learn these things in Formula 4 and Formula 3. You don’t even move up if you don’t get it by then. This issue stems from that.
“They are not taught in the smaller formulas. You wonder in those categories where the marshals are, where are the rulings that need to be made. You see some crazy stuff.”
Commenting on another incident involving Esteban Ocon, Villeneuve observed: “It is not the first time he has done that. It was overly aggressive even if it had not been between teammates.
“The overtaking manoeuvre worked. It was very aggressive and ballsy. But then instead of leaving enough room on the outside, he drove as if nobody was there. What was Gasly supposed to do?”
Villeneuve’s outspoken nature and deep understanding of the sport makes him a compelling pundit, and his presence at the Canadian Grand Prix promises to bring added excitement and insight to the broadcast.
The 1997 Formula One World Champion will make a guest appearance as a pundit for Sky Sports F1 during this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix.
The race will take place at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a track named in honour of his late father, Gilles Villeneuve, a former Ferrari driver who tragically lost his life in a crash at the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix when Jacques was just 11.
Villeneuve made his Formula 1 debut in 1996 with the Williams team, securing an impressive second place in his rookie season and clinching his sole World Championship title the following year.
After his Formula 1 career concluded in 2006, he continued to showcase his versatility by competing in a variety of racing events, including the Indy 500, 24 Hours of Le Mans, Formula E, NASCAR, and the Australian V8 Supercars series.
His most recent participation in top-level motorsport was last year in the World Endurance Championship.
This won’t be Villeneuve’s first stint with Sky Sports, he previously provided commentary for the 2012 Canadian Grand Prix. Following his retirement from Formula 1, Villeneuve has offered his expertise on motorsport for the Italian Sky and Canal+ in France.
The weekend kick’s off tomorrow, June 7th with FP1 6:30 pm Irish time.
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