Lewis Hamilton made a rather surprising comment when asked about F1 legend Gilles Villeneuve at the Canadian Grand Prix.
The F1 circus continued its North American tour this weekend, racing in Montreal for the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Montreal’s circuit is named after Ferrari legend Gilles Villeneuve, who won six races with the team from 1978 to 1981.
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Often described as one of the fastest drivers to ever grace the sport, despite not winning a world title, Villeneuve was killed in a crash at Zolder in 1982.
Ahead of the race weekend, Villeneuve was posthumously honoured and named as a Quebec historic figure by Premier Christine Frechette, with a commemorative plaque installed at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
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Hamilton on Villeneuve
Villeneuve’s son, Jacques Villeneuve, also became a racing driver and won the 1997 drivers’ championship, but Hamilton didn’t paint the most flattering picture of Villeneuve Jr.
During the Thursday press conference in Montreal, Hamilton and Canadian driver Lance Stroll were asked: “What kind of legacy do you think Gilles Villeneuve left in Formula 1, and do each of you have a special memory of his driving?”
In his own answer, Hamilton was honest, not just about Gilles, but also in the capabilities of his son Jacques.
“I personally didn’t really know a lot about him, to be honest. Obviously knew about Niki, more so because I got to spend a lot of time with him, and obviously I had to learn and watch him when I was growing up,” he explained.
“So, whilst reading up on some of the great drivers that have been here, all I really knew is that he was a great driver. He seemed to be, from some of the videos, a driver that really was at the edge of his seat, really being able to balance the car as it’s moving, which was pretty cool to see. And obviously far better than his son.”
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