Jacques Villeneuve won the 1997 Formula 1 championship in a Williams after a controversial finish at Jerez, where Michael Schumacher crashed his Ferrari into him as they battled for the title.
Now, at Daytona, where he was testing ahead of his return to the NASCAR Cup next month in his bid for the 500, Villeneuve said the hard-fought finale to the 2021 F1 season in Abu Dhabi was “good for the sport.” , as it has created a framework for Hamilton to come back and avenge the loss.
“It’s good for the sport because Lewis now has to come back and try to win his eighth championship and be aggressive to get it,” Villeneuve said.
“After all, a lot of ink has been spilled in the newspapers.”
“It was slightly controversial, but it always is when it comes down to the last race.”
After his defeat in Abu Dhabi, which prevented him from achieving his eighth world championship in Formula 1, Hamilton has remained silent on social networks, which has led to suggestions that he could leave the category.
Mercedes director Toto Wolff has said he hoped “Lewis would continue racing”, although he admitted his star driver was “disappointed at the moment”.
Asked if he thinks Hamilton will be back in 2022, Villeneuve replied: “Well, who knows?”
Jacques Villeneuve, Williams FW19
“Nobody expected that Nico Rosberg wouldn’t come back and then suddenly wake up one morning and tell everyone that in a way he wasn’t passionate about racing anymore. That doesn’t seem to be the case with Lewis, but who knows?” ?”.
“It’s really a mess to know what goes through people’s heads when the season is very long, when you think you know where it’s going to go and then it doesn’t go as you expect, and you feel like it’s been stolen from you.”
“I guess the reaction is pretty negative. But you have to get back on track.”
Despite the outcry that followed Abu Dhabi, after which world governing body the FIA has pledged to carry out a detailed analysis of the final lap safety car restart, Villeneuve believes the title had a deserved winner. .
“I guess when it comes to talking about the backlash it depends on whether you’re a Verstappen fan or a Lewis fan,” Villeneuve continued.
“It’s been exciting and seeing how the whole season has gone, Max deserved the championship. He had been in the lead all year, race after race.”
