Lewis Hamilton quips Gilles Villeneuve was ‘obviously far better’ than Jacques

Ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton was asked about the Formula 1 legacy of Gilles Villeneuve, the iconic Ferrari driver after whom the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was renamed.

Hamilton spoke of where Gilles excelled in his driving from the footage he had watched, and also snuck in a blunt joke directed towards Gilles’ son Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 World Champion. Gilles was “obviously better than his son,” Hamilton quipped.

Lewis Hamilton makes Jacques Villeneuve joke before Canadian Grand Prix

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Gilles claimed all six of his grand prix wins with the Ferrari team which Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, represents in present day.

An iconic F1 figure tragically lost in a 1982 Belgian Grand Prix qualifying crash, the Montreal track was renamed the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in his honour.

In the build-up to the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix, Hamilton was asked what kind of legacy Gilles left in Formula 1, and whether he had a special memory of his driving.

Hamilton has won the Canadian Grand Prix a record-equalling seven times.

Hamilton concluded his response by aiming a cheeky joke at Jacques Villeneuve, who Gilles was “obviously far better than,” Hamilton quipped.

Jacques Villeneuve reached the F1 summit as world champion in 1997, and now serves as a Sky F1 pundit, one not afraid to be outspoken.

“Yes, as much as I can say about it, I personally didn’t really know a lot about him, to be honest,” Hamilton began in reference to Gilles.

“Obviously knew about Niki [Lauda] 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.

“So, whilst reading up on some of the great drivers that have been here, all I really knew is that he [Gilles] 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 [laughs].”

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The same question was put to Canada’s own, Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll.

“I don’t have a memory because I wasn’t alive when he was racing.

“But I think everyone says he was super brave and back then when you were on the limits of the car, there was always a chance of not coming out of the car. And he was not afraid to really push the car to the limit, and he was so talented.

“I think his journey is quite amazing. He was racing snowmobiles and then he came into cars, and then he was so talented in Formula 1. For sure everyone says he’s one of the most talented drivers that ever lived.

“So yeah, pretty amazing to see back then.

“I think what really impresses me is the guys back then, how the cars were so dangerous and how brave they were to just be on the limit and push those cars and accept that every time they were getting in the car there’s probably a 20, 30 per cent chance you can die. It’s pretty insane.”

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