Observation Lewis Hamilton is ‘doubting himself’ amid Ferrari misery

Jacques Villeneuve believes Lewis Hamilton is “doubting himself” amid his ongoing Ferrari malaise.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton endured what he described as his “worst” race for Ferrari last time out at the Spanish Grand Prix, as he finished sixth only after a penalty for Max Verstappen.

Despite securing a season-best qualifying result and running as high as fourth in the early stages, Hamilton mysteriously lacked pace and was ordered out of the way of his faster teammate Charles Leclerc.

Hamilton ultimately finished seventh on the road after being overtaken by Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg before he was promoted to P6 due to Verstappen’s penalty.

The 40-year-old Briton was left in a hugely despondent mood after the race, leaving 1997 world champion Villeneuve concerned.

“It’s not a happy place for Lewis Hamilton. Spain was hard to watch,” Villeneuve told BetVictor Casino.

“It's hard to understand because he has shown the speed, he's qualified, but it's not consistent. And it seems that he's doubting himself. Even when he speaks, he doesn't seem full of energy.

“That's hard to see from a champion like Lewis. It's not an easy place to be in. It's a team where you get so much attention that when you don't win the weight of it is tenfold.”

Pressure on Ferrari to improve

While Leclerc is currently faring much better than Hamilton, having claimed his third podium of the season in Barcelona, Villeneuve insisted that Ferrari need to make improvements to their car.

Ferrari already find themselves a huge 197 points adrift of McLaren in the constructors’ championship just nine races into the season and have not been in contention for wins aside from Monaco.

Villeneuve criticised Ferrari for continuing to underdeliver. 

“Ferrari has to focus on getting better, because right now it's not good enough. And then if the two drivers don't work the same way, that makes it a little bit more difficult,” he added.

“We hear every race that things are going to get better! So, I have stopped listening to all that's supposed to be coming to a track. It rarely pans out.

“It's been years of this, years and years of this situation and they haven't figured it out yet. So, I don't think the answer is in what is already there.”