Badly Run Williams F1 Team Deserves to be Last – Villeneuve

Former Williams F1 driver Jacques Villeneuve has been harbouring a major grudge with his old team for a long time. So, anytime they perform badly, he is quick to get in front of a microphone and badmouth them. It got to a point where the team even banned him from their motorhome.

This year, the Canadian driver has had plenty of ammo to attack the team. The 1997 Formula One world champion declared that the team earned their struggles this season. He laid the blame on the organisational structure of the Grove-based team.

So far, Williams F1 have scored just one point this season, which was a lucky break at the chaotic German Grand Prix. Now, they look set to finish last in the Constructors’ Championship for the second season in a row. It has been a long fall from grace for a team that used to fight for championships, with Villeneuve being their last champion. They finished third in the standings twice in succession, in 2014 and 2015, but have plummeted since then.

He said on Italian TV: “What I find sad is how the team has been managed in recent years. But given the management it’s no surprise where they are now. It makes sense. I think it’s somehow justified that it’s so bad now.”

“It would be a shame if a team with such a name and glorious past would be successful, even though it is so badly run. They deserve it.”

While some would argue that Villeneuve has reduced himself to an armchair critic, there is a hint of truth in his words. His gripe with Williams started in 2017, when compatriot, Lance Stroll joined the outfit. Villeneuve dubbed the youngster as nothing more than a pay driver, and a couple of podiums, were unable to convince him. Since then, he has always taken potshots at Williams.