Jacques Villeneuve has cast doubt on Charles Leclerc’s prospects of ever winning a Formula 1 World Championship, suggesting that reality is starting to set in for the Ferrari driver. Now in his seventh season with the Scuderia, Leclerc has only secured eight Grand Prix victories, which the 1997 World Champion sees as an indicator of a declining trajectory in his career.
While Leclerc remains a key figure for Ferrari, Villeneuve believes that the Monegasque driver’s chance to claim a world title is slipping away as frustration mounts within the team and behind the wheel.
Leclerc’s Struggles Amid Ferrari’s Challenges
Leclerc’s tenure at Ferrari has lacked a flawless year, with mistakes and reliability issues repeatedly undermining his performances. In 2022, despite having a competitive car, errors like his crash while leading the French Grand Prix hurt his title chances. The 2023 season brought flashes of promise, but technical problems, including a disqualification for excessive skid plank wear at the United States Grand Prix, further stalled his progress.
Although Leclerc finished as runner-up in 2022 and third last season, he has yet to mount a serious championship challenge. Villeneuve remains skeptical that this will change anytime soon.
The former driver noted that Leclerc’s increasing frustration, evident in his tense communications with race engineer Bryan Bozzi, signals a dawning awareness that a world championship may no longer be within reach.
“Charles is frustrated because he’s probably starting to understand that he will never be World Champion,”
Villeneuve said during Sky’s The F1 Show podcast.
He added,
“It’s gone bad, it’s gotten worse. Next year is a whole new set of regulations and normally that’s not when Ferrari is at its best, so it’s a difficult situation for him.”
Villeneuve concluded that Leclerc’s star has faded somewhat after years with the team, contrasting his fortunes with those of established champions.
“At least Lewis can rely on the fact that he’s a multiple World Champion so it doesn’t matter if the star falls a little bit. He will always be that big global star anyway, that goes beyond F1.”
Ferrari’s Current Performance and 2025 Outlook
As the 2025 Formula 1 season unfolds, Ferrari’s performance has come under heavy scrutiny. Villeneuve points out that the Italian team’s hold on second place in the Constructors’ Championship is largely due to the inconsistent results from their main rivals, Red Bull and Mercedes, each having only one driver regularly scoring points.
The recent Dutch Grand Prix saw both Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton crash out at Turn 3, resulting in a double DNF for Ferrari and Mercedes. Despite this, Ferrari remains 12 points ahead of Mercedes and well behind the dominant Red Bull team by 334 points.
Villeneuve remains doubtful about Ferrari’s competitiveness, especially ahead of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, a race where the team traditionally expects strong results.
“They might finish second in the Constructors’ Championship,”
Villeneuve remarked,
“They are simply lucky that in Red Bull, there’s only one driver scoring points and the same thing with Mercedes.”
Regarding Ferrari’s prospects at Monza, he commented,
“Normally they have a special engine, special car, but I don’t expect that this year. 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.”
Potential Impact on Leclerc and Ferrari’s Future
This growing gap between expectation and reality presents significant challenges for both Charles Leclerc and Ferrari. With new regulations coming in 2026, and Ferrari traditionally struggling to maximize advantage during such transitions, Leclerc’s ability to deliver a championship-winning season appears increasingly uncertain.
Villeneuve’s assessment underscores the pressure facing Leclerc, whose early promise and notable achievements have yet to translate into the ultimate Formula 1 success. As Ferrari battles not only competitors but also internal struggles, Leclerc’s future as a world champion remains in serious doubt according to the former champion.
