Five fresh faces are set to shake up Formula 1 next season, but racing legend Jacques Villeneuve isn’t convinced they’re ready for the big leagues.
The 1997 world champion thinks young drivers are being rushed to F1 way too quickly these days.
"It’s very difficult to understand how you can get to that top level in the biggest sport in the world so quickly at such a young age with so little experience," Villeneuve told Action Network.
The new crop includes Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Oliver Bearman (Haas), Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber), Jack Doohan (Alpine) and Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls). It’s quite a change from the start of 2024, when the grid stayed exactly the same as the previous year.
Villeneuve’s particularly skeptical about judging drivers based on their Formula 2 performance. "Formula 2 has never been a good judge of drivers," he said. "It’s pointless until they get into F1."
He points out that while simulator work helps rookies get up to speed quickly, real-world racing is a different story.
The Canadian champion also weighed in on Franco Colapinto, who made waves when Williams picked him to replace Logan Sargeant mid-2024. While Colapinto showed early promise, his season ended with several crashes.
"If you are given the golden chance, it’s for you to make the most of it," Villeneuve said bluntly. "He can’t cry about it. Not many people get that opportunity, so it’s already impressive that he got that chance."
Colapinto’s F1 future looked uncertain after Williams signed Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz for their two seats. But there’s good news for the young Argentine – he’s just landed a role as Alpine’s test and reserve driver for 2025.
