Jacques Villeneuve Takes Swipe At Max Verstappen In Crucial F1 Advise To Lance Stroll

Saajan Jogia | Dec 31, 2024

Oct 20, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team driver Lance Stroll (18) of Team Canada walks through the track entrance before the 2024 Formula One US Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Former Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve has taken a swipe at Max Verstappen while advising Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll on how to improve his overall appeal, which could help the Canadian improve his performance on the racetrack. The suggestion from Villeneuve comes at a time when Aston Martin is undergoing a rough phase in the current ground effect era after a lackluster 2024 season.

The 1997 world champion stressed the importance of being liked by the audience "in this industry" since a collective fondness for a driver would motivate him to perform better. However, he also advised caution against winning every race in Formula 1 like Verstappen, as it could decrease a driver's popularity with the audience.

The four-time world champion ended up winning 19 out of the 22 Grands Prix in 2023, which led to a negative impact on the sport's popularity since fans demanded to witness close racing that added to unpredictable race outcomes. But with Red Bull's dominance, the race results were predictable, leading to alleged fan dissatisfaction with Verstappen and a widespread yearning for significant changes in the sport.

While fans got what they wished for in 2024, as the grid converged to the point where Red Bull lost the top two spots in the Constructors' Championship to McLaren and Ferrari, Stroll came under fire for silly errors and the performance gap to his teammate Fernando Alonso, leading fans to question his existence in the sport. The Canadian driver secured 24 points this year, compared to Alonso's 70 points.

It is widely believed that Stroll's position at Aston Martin is largely due to his father, Lawrence Stroll, owning the team. One instance where the driver came under intense criticism this year was during the formation lap of the race in Brazil, where he spun out and crashed before getting stuck in the gravel in an attempt to drive to the pit lane.

Villeneuve's theory suggests that if Stroll focuses on improving his persona and becoming more likable, the increased support from fans could provide the collective encouragement needed to enhance his performance. Speaking to Spin Casino, as reported by RacingNews365, he said:

"Does Lance need to improve his persona? It's important to be liked in this industry.

"If you win every race like Verstappen, you can maybe be liked a little bit less.

"But at some point it comes back to bite you. When you're liked, you end up going faster because everybody behind you is pushing you, helping you. 

"The same thing happens with the mechanics. It's a general energy. So, it is important that Lance improves his appeal in the media."