Down-the-line.com / Formula 1. 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has shared his opinion on the situation seven-time world champion Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton found himself in. The current season is going badly for the Briton, after four stages he only takes 7th place in the drivers’ classification.

“At Mercedes they have to learn to lose anyway. For years they won against everyone. This year they no longer have that advantage.”

Mercedes explained why Hamilton underperformed his team-mate in the last race

George Russell does a great job playing the underdog. He taught it to Williams, when Hamilton always had something to fight for.

In Imola, we have already seen that Toto Wolf has trouble controlling himself. His radio address after the race says it all. He was speaking not just to Hamilton, but to the whole world. Russell’s poor result does not draw criticism, but Hamilton does. This weekend, Hamilton was not in the right rhythm from the start. He also didn’t look aggressive enough, like he couldn’t fight.

And will Hamilton be in the team for another two or three years? Will he even arrive at the end of this season? He may be overwhelmed and unable to cope with what no longer wins. So maybe it’s time to decide that life is better without racing. There have already been similar stories in the past: it happened that the champions sometimes got tired”, wrote Villeneuve in his column on the Formula 1 website.