Title: Jacques Villeneuve’s Stinging Verdict: Charles Leclerc’s Title Dreams Crushed!
In an explosive revelation, former Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve has declared that Charles Leclerc, despite his allegiance to the iconic Ferrari team, will “never be World Champion.” As the Monegasque driver faces the harsh reality of his career trajectory, Villeneuve’s comments come as a grim reminder of the challenges Leclerc has faced since joining the Scuderia.
Now in his seventh season with Ferrari, Leclerc’s record of just eight Grand Prix victories raises eyebrows and questions about his potential. Villeneuve, the 1997 World Champion, asserts that Leclerc’s star is fading. He stated, “It’s gone bad, it’s gotten worse,” highlighting the frustrations that have plagued the young driver throughout his career.
Leclerc’s journey has been marred by a series of misfortunes. While he demonstrated promise in 2022, mistakes such as a catastrophic crash while leading the French Grand Prix hindered his progress. The following year, 2023, was no kinder, as reliability issues and a disqualification for excessive skid plank wear at the United States Grand Prix further complicated his campaign. Despite finishing as runner-up in 2022 and third in 2023, the reality remains—Leclerc has yet to mount a serious title challenge.
Villeneuve’s insights reveal the growing frustration Leclerc feels, which has become apparent during races as he expresses his irritation with his race engineer, Bryan Bozzi. “Charles is frustrated because he’s probably starting to understand that he will never be World Champion,” Villeneuve remarked during an episode of Sky’s The F1 Show podcast. The Canadian further emphasized the daunting prospect of new regulations in the upcoming season, suggesting that Ferrari has historically struggled under such conditions: “Next year is a whole new set of regulations and normally that’s not when Ferrari is at its best.”
Adding fuel to the fire, Villeneuve pointed out that Leclerc’s prolonged stay at Ferrari has seen his star dim significantly. He contrasted Leclerc’s situation with that of Lewis Hamilton, noting that the British driver can afford to have a dip in performance thanks to his multiple World Championships. “At least Lewis can rely on the fact that he’s a multiple World Champion,” he explained. “He will always be that big global star anyway, that goes beyond F1.”
As the 2025 season progresses, Ferrari’s struggles have become glaringly apparent. Villeneuve suggests that their current standing in the Constructors’ Championship—fighting for second place—is more a reflection of luck than prowess, as both Red Bull and Mercedes have only one car scoring points. Despite a disastrous double DNF at the Dutch Grand Prix, where both Leclerc and Hamilton crashed, Ferrari clings to a precarious 12-point lead over Mercedes, while Red Bull lags a staggering 334 points behind.
Looking ahead to the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Villeneuve remains skeptical about Ferrari’s prospects. “Normally they have a special engine, special car, but I don’t expect that this year,” he warned. “They are way off. The car is not working. Normally the car is kind of working. It’s in the battle and then they get a little extra for Monza. A little extra won’t cut it right now.”
As the tension mounts and the pressure intensifies, the question looms large: Can Charles Leclerc rise from the ashes of disappointment, or is his fate as a perennial underdog sealed? Only time will tell, but for now, the echoes of Villeneuve’s harsh assessment resonate throughout the paddock, leaving fans to ponder the future of the once-promising star.
