Jacques Villeneuve thinks that Lewis Hamilton should come back for the 2022 season and be aggressive to try to win his eighth title.
Jacques Villeneuve won the 1997 championship racing in Williams after a controversial race at Jerez in Spain. At that time, Villeneuve’s title rival Michael Schumacher in Ferrari crashed into the Canadian. Consequently, Schumacher had to retire from the race.
Villeneuve believes that the controversial end to the 2021 season in Abu Dhabi is ‘good for the sport’ as it sets an agenda for Hamilton to return to sport.
Speaking at Daytona, where he is testing ahead of the NASCAR Cup series due to begin next month, the Canadian driver said that the controversial end gives Hamilton the opportunity to avenge his defeat.
“It’s good for the sport anyway because Lewis now has to come back and try to win his eighth championship and be aggressive to try to win it. Ultimately, it got a lot of ink in the papers.”
“It was slightly controversial, but it always is when it all comes down to the last race,” he said.
Jacques Villeneuve does not know if Lewis Hamilton will return
Jacques Villeneuve said “who knows” when asked if he thinks that Hamilton will return to F1. The seven-time world champion has maintained silence since he lost the championship.
Furthermore, Mercedes’ team principal Toto Wolff would very much like it if the Briton returned and continues racing. He admitted that it is incredibly difficult for Hamilton.
Toto Wolff on Lewis Hamilton:
“I really hope we see him again… It would be an indictment for the whole of Formula 1 if the best driver decides to quit because of outrageous decisions”.
— formularacers (@formularacers_) January 14, 2022
Villeneuve said, “Nobody expected [Nico] Rosberg to not come back and suddenly he just woke up one morning and told everyone he actually wasn’t passionate about racing in a way. That doesn’t seem to be the case with Lewis, but who knows?
“It’s a really a pickle to know what’s going on in the head of people when the season is very long, you believe you know where it’s going to turn out and it doesn’t turn out how you expect, and you feel it’s been taken away from you.”
“I guess the reaction is quite negative. But you just have to get going again. “I guess it depends if you’re a fan of Verstappen or a fan of Lewis when it comes to the reaction,” he further added.
“It was exciting and seeing how the whole season went, Max deserved this championship. He had been on top of it all year – race after race.”
Also Read: Toto Wolff gives out an update on whether or not Lewis Hamilton will return to F1 in 2022
