1997 Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve has downplayed the achievements of Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.
In the coming weeks, the Briton is set to move just one behind the German legend by scoring his sixth F1 title, putting him second alone ahead of Juan Manuel Fangio.
With the expectation being that Hamilton could then go on and do what few thought imaginable by matching Schumacher with seven championships, the Canadian was asked by Motorsport-Total.com which driver he thought was better.
“These two drivers only won when they had the best car,” Villeneuve replied sounding somewhat bitter.
“They’ve always had the best car in their entire career and, if you put Lewis [Hamilton] in a Williams, you do not win.
“He’s super good and always makes the right decision as to which team to go to.
“There [at Mercedes] he builds a team around him, that’s all, he might not have won in a Ferrari.”
On Hamilton, Villeneuve’s bid to stir the pot does hold a little water as the Briton stepped into a top car at McLaren and has benefited from Mercedes’ domination in the hybrid era.
Schumacher though, was a more integral part of his own success, helping to rebuild Ferrari back into the giants of F1 after years coming up short.
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As a follow-up, earlier this year, Gerhard Berger suggested Hamilton was the first driver he could put in the “same league” as Ayrton Senna and Villeneuve had little time for such comparisons.
“This is the stupidest comment,” he replied. “You could also say he’s the first one on [Juan Manuel] Fangio’s level, how do you compare that? It was a very different time, who knows?
“And also with Senna: He won in the best car. [Alain] Prost too, that’s just how it works.”