F1 News: Former Driver Defends Verstappen’s Dominance - “No-one Complained When Hamilton Was Winning”

Former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve hits out at Max Verstappen critics.

Author:
Lydia Mee
Apr 03, 2024

Former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve has voiced his support for Max Verstappen amidst criticism of the latter's recent string of victories. Villeneuve contrasted the current complaints that the sport is "boring" with the past admiration for Lewis Hamilton's similar winning streak, suggesting a double standard.

Key Takeaways:

Jacques Villeneuve defends Max Verstappen's winning streak, comparing it to the past dominance of other F1 legends like Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, and Lewis Hamilton.
Villeneuve suggests criticism of Verstappen may be due to his straightforward personality, not his on-track performance.
Verstappen's approach to racing, focused solely on the sport rather than public perception, is commended by Villeneuve.

undefined — Oracle Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen waves to the crowd after taking first in the Sprint

Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman /

Max Verstappen's recent domination of Formula 1 has sparked a mix of admiration and criticism, with some fans labeling the sport as "predictable" due to Verstappen's overwhelming success. However, Jacques Villeneuve has come out in defence of Verstappen, drawing parallels between the Dutch driver's success and that of other F1 legends, including Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, and notably, Lewis Hamilton. Villeneuve explained during an interview with OLBG:

"We have all admired Senna, Prost and Michael. And he was winning just like Max is now. Everyone has admired Lewis for so many years and how he was winning. The same as Max if not more regularly. He was lapping the whole field at times in his Mercedes. No-one complained about that. So why are we complaining about Max being so dominant?

"Is it because he is a tough guy that we can complain about him knowing he can take it? I think that is it."

Villeneuve went on to suggest that criticism directed towards Verstappen might stem from his unapologetic and resilient character, which contrasts with the more polished public images some drivers maintain. He described Verstappen as someone who doesn't seek to be universally liked, focusing instead on the racing. He continued:

"He is not trying to be nice, he is not trying to be friendly. He is just being him. That makes it easy for people to bash him. If he was a whiner and a fake trying to love everyone no-one would complain.

"He was raised without a choice to be tough. As a racer it has paid off. That is all we can comment on. Because we don’t know the real Max as a person and what he is like behind closed doors.

"It is good for him. But F1 is the most high-profile sport in the world right now. It is a theatre. You are almost not allowed to have a private life. Unless your private life is part of everyone’s he will keep being bashed.

"It doesn’t bother him. That is what is amazing. He is there to race, and he keeps winning. But it is easy not to be bothered by things when you are winning."

Villeneuve concluded:

"He is doing great, but he is not doing anything to be liked. He doesn’t even care. He just wants to race and I admire that. He is not fake in any way. Whether people like that or not that is the case.

"I really respect that. He is a straight shooter. There are no grey areas."