Jacques Villeneuve Claims Intra-Team Ferrari Battle Destroyed Strategic Chance to Defeat Mercedes in China

Jacques Villeneuve slams Ferrari's strategy in China, claiming the fight between Hamilton and Leclerc cost the team a chance to beat Mercedes.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 20, 2026, 7:56 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from PlanetF1

Strategic Fallout of the Hamilton-Leclerc Duel

The 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has offered a scathing assessment of Ferrari’s tactical execution at the Shanghai International Circuit. Despite a brilliant start that saw Hamilton and Leclerc occupy second and third positions in the opening stages, the pair engaged in a relentless wheel-to-wheel struggle that dominated the middle stint of the race. Villeneuve argued that this internal friction was extreme and ultimately destroyed Ferrari's ability to maintain pressure on the leading Mercedes W17s, effectively handing the victory to rookie Kimi Antonelli.

Tire Degradation and Time Loss in the Heat of Battle

According to Villeneuve’s analysis, the aggressive nature of the Ferrari battle had immediate physical consequences for the SF-26 chassis. By trading positions and defensive lines repeatedly, both drivers accelerated the degradation of their tires, falling five seconds adrift of the leader in just two laps of heavy fighting. This loss of momentum allowed George Russell to pounce from the background, transforming a potential Ferrari double-podium into a Mercedes one-two finish as the Italian stable’s drivers focused on one another rather than the silver cars ahead.

Vasseur Defends the Right to Race for Team Morale

In contrast to Villeneuve’s criticism, Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur maintained a supportive stance toward his drivers’ competitive conduct. Vasseur acknowledged the risk of looking "completely stupid" if an accident had occurred but argued that allowing professional emulation is the best way to build a championship-winning team culture. He revealed that both Hamilton and Leclerc communicated via radio that they were enjoying the intense competition, leading the pit wall to resist the urge to freeze positions despite the widening gap to the front of the field.