‘Car and team needs to get better’ - Suggestion of Ferrari turnaround shot down

Jacques Villeneuve still has doubts about Ferrari despite an impressive showing from the team on race day at the F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton recovered from qualifying 12th at Imola with an impressive drive to record his best result on a Sunday since joining Ferrari with fourth place, while teammate Charles Leclerc rose from 11th to sixth.

Leclerc said Ferrari were “P-nowhere” after qualifying but the SF25 demonstrated strong race pace as both he and Hamilton made short work of their respective fight back drives by charging through the field.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton was left buoyed by the result, insisting there is “more to come” from Ferrari.

But Villeneuve remains skeptical about Ferrari’s chances when asked if Imola could mark the turning point for their season.

“Yesterday the qualifying was not because they messed up, the pace was simply not there, so you can’t have a turnaround with that,” the 1997 world champion told Sky Sports F1.

“The whole car and the whole team still needs to get better.”

However, Villeneuve was full of praise for Hamilton’s performance as he staged a strong fightback.

“We saw today Lewis is capable, when there is an occasion he rises, like he did today,” he added.

“That’s why you take a driver like Lewis or Max [Verstappen], these drivers make a difference.”

Posed the same question, fellow Sky Sports F1 pundit Jamie Chadwick said: “We’ve had a few flashes where it’s looked really great. I think today was a really good day.

“The team did a great job with the strategy. Obviously got fortunate with the strategy, the car came alive. Because of that, they got a great result today and they can be happy and carry this momentum forward.”

Lewis Hamilton relieved about Ferrari performance

After crossing the line in P4 after his first race in Italy for Ferrari, Hamilton said over team radio “let’s keep pushing.

"If we can get that qualifying better and we can race like that then we'll be winning.”

Ferrari’s performance has left Hamilton in high spirits heading to the next two races in Monaco and Barcelona.

"We didn't expect the result that we had today," Hamilton told Sky Sports.

"We came into the weekend very hopeful and there was a small fix that came for a component that we were hoping was going to help us progress - which it did.

"Then we went into qualifying and to be out of Q3 was tough to swallow, but I came in today and everyone's heads were high and super driven.

"They did such a fantastic job with the strategy. The timing was right, calm and concise and clear - and I felt I won with the car."