Villeneuve Urges Ferrari to Prioritize Hamilton Over Leclerc in 2026 Title Push

Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve has urged Ferrari to prioritize Lewis Hamilton over Charles Leclerc in its pursuit of the 2026 title. The intervention follows Hamilton's breakthrough victory at the Spanish Grand Prix and Leclerc's second consecutive retirement, which left the Monegasque 40 points adrift of his teammate.

Why it matters:

Ferrari cannot afford divided loyalties while chasing a first drivers' crown in nearly two decades. With Hamilton already proving he can win in red and Kimi Antonelli leading the standings by 41 points, the Scuderia must designate a clear standard-bearer to avoid wasting points in a tight championship fight.

The details:

• Hamilton's charge: His Barcelona triumph, his first for Ferrari, trimmed the deficit to championship leader Antonelli to 41 points after the Mercedes driver suffered a late power unit failure.
• Leclerc's slump: A power-steering issue handed Leclerc back-to-back DNFs, raising fresh questions about his consistency at a critical moment.
• Villeneuve's verdict: Speaking on the Sky F1 podcast, the 1997 champion argued Ferrari "has to focus on Lewis" because he knows what it takes to win and Leclerc is now too far back.
• Patrese agrees: The former Williams driver noted Ferrari has improved more than Mercedes since Melbourne, adding that an eighth world title remains firmly within reach for Hamilton.

What's next:

The coming races will force Ferrari's hand. If Hamilton continues to outscore Leclerc, formal team orders may become unavoidable. How the Scuderia manages this driver dynamic could determine whether it mounts a credible challenge to Antonelli or lets another championship slip away.