Jacques Villeneuve rates Alonso higher than Hamilton.

      Jacques Villeneuve, evaluating the potential of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, who together hold nine titles, makes a choice not in favor of the seven-time world champion, emphasizing that statistics are not everything.

      The Canadian participated in another episode of The Red Flags podcast and, reflecting on the most prominent Formula 1 drivers in recent years, made it clear that he ranks Alonso higher than Hamilton.

      "Hamilton has too many flaws. Even with all his successes, it's important to emphasize that it's not just about the number of championships won," said Villeneuve, who secured the title in 1997. "He mostly won thanks to the power of the Mercedes engine. If Hamilton hadn’t been in that team, the title could have been won even by Bottas.

      Because of this, Lewis developed a sense of complacency. He forgot that to win, you need to give your maximum effort. And now, that’s evident. It was a shock for him when he realized he now has to fight as hard as in his first two seasons — by the way, he won his first title in an incredibly tense battle.

      But then, once he had the Mercedes car that allowed him to dominate, for several years he was dealing with much simpler tasks. And now, Lewis is no longer the same...

      Unlike him, Fernando Alonso has always displayed an intensely combative attitude. Racing for Ferrari, he was twice close to winning the championship but missed the victory in the last race of the season. However, he didn’t always choose the best teams for himself, and he was also good at making enemies within those teams. But as a driver, he always performs at a very high level."