1997 Formulation 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve has warned Kimi Antonelli in opposition to shopping for into his personal hype and to maintain his cool in his first championship battle.
The Italian driver, who’s in his second season of F1, at the moment tops the championship with a 43-point lead over his Mercedes team-mate George Russell in second.
Talking on the F1 post-race present following the tense Canadian Grand Prix, Villeneuve, who gained the drivers’ championship in solely his second season in 1997, provided some recommendation for the 19-year-old.
“He must hold his head cool, not begin believing an excessive amount of in his personal hype,” he mentioned. “That is a really harmful factor to do. While you suppose that you just’re untouchable, that is when errors occur, and you’ve got a DNF, like [Russell] in the present day, or you’ve got an accident, you lose 25 factors, the hole modifications quite a bit, and all of the sudden you begin doubting your self.
“So that’s the large threat. Proper now, he is driving on the sting each lap, and to the purpose the place you suppose, ‘Wow, he is maintaining it on the observe,’ issues go properly, issues go proper. It will not all the time be like this. So, how will he react when one factor goes incorrect? That would be the key factor.
Jacques Villeneuve, former racing driver, walks within the paddock.
Picture by: Kym Illman / Getty Photos
“However proper now, he’s faster than George. He is acquired him coated. What’s necessary for the workforce is that George wakes up a bit bit and begins believing in himself once more.”
When requested if Antonelli might be considering of the championship, the Canadian added: “In fact. A season is a curler coaster. There is a interval the place every little thing goes properly, and all of the sudden one thing goes incorrect.
“A race or two, you transcend. That is the hazard. And folks suppose, ‘Oh, you will not win it anymore.’ After which the opposite man begins believing it, and it is a curler coaster. So, we’ll see the way it goes.”
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