Villeneuve: “Today's drivers are daddy's boys without any respect”

Jacques Villeneuve lashed out against current F1 drivers, who think of racing as a video game without realizing the risks involved.

Villeneuve, whose father Gilles died exactly thirty years ago in an accident during qualifying for the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix, believes that current F1 drivers do not have the same respect for their profession as the great aces of the past, because the improvement in safety has effectively eliminated the fear of fatal accidents: but this does not mean that F1 is not a dangerous sport. “There is something about this new F1 that is a bit strange, there are those who think they know what is right on the track and what is not, and it seems to me that there is very little common sense on the asphalt today”, said the 1997 world champion. “I believe that in the years when F1 was dangerous, 20 or 30 years ago, the risk of dying was very high and the drivers thought more about protecting themselves. There was common sense and also a group of drivers who worked hard to make it to F1. They weren't pilots at 12 years old, with financiers and sponsors behind them: they made space for themselves, they had to sweat to get to the top, they weren't daddy's boys as they practically are now. So they're driving an F1 and they're still children, they're still babies and they've stayed that way without ever growing up.".

In a certain sense, one could reply to the Canadian that he was in turn inspired to race thanks to the name of his legendary father, however those who know his career know that the former Williams and BAR ace has always rejected comparisons with his father, and he is among the last representatives of an F1 made up of real men. “Today's drivers seem to forget the risks, then one day an accident will happen and everyone will realize it”, He insisted. “Everyone has fallen asleep to the fact that F1 is dangerous. Everyone thinks it's a video game and it's not, it's very, very dangerous and it's hard and difficult.". The FIA ​​is also to blame for the situation, for example because it does not punish those drivers who zigzag on the track, violating the one-move rule to defend themselves from overtaking. “Everyone just uses a rule move without realizing it, when it is actually dangerous. The fault also lies with the race commissioners who don't seem to punish this move or do it in the wrong way.". Villeneuve cites the case of Michael Schumacher who rear-ended Bruno Senna in Spain as a perfect example of this paradox. Schumacher was punished, with five points less on the grid in Monaco. “Senna is not doing the same race as Schumacher, he is going terribly slow and he is blocking guys who are fighting for points, and that is not smart driving. Then he hindered the overtaking, and this is wrong", the 41-year-old said.

But the blame for this situation is widespread: even the Pirelli tires do not satisfy Jacques. “I'm not a big, big F1 fan at the moment.", has continued. “There is very little the drivers can do, the tires suddenly seem to lose performance and don't seem to be at the level of tires that F1 should have”. Finally, a criticism of outsiders like Pastor Maldonado who become contenders for victory: “It's always fun to see a rider from the back beat the best, but it's something that happens once in a while. Now it seems to be almost a constant. It's not logical, the best should win.", concluded Villeneuve.

Lorena Bianchi