Charles Leclerc and Ferrari showing the 'best example of how you won't win a championship,' says former F1 champion after 2022 French GP

Former F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has criticized Ferrari and Charles Leclerc. He claimed that the pair showed the “best example” of how not to win the world championship at the 2022 F1 French GP.

Villeneuve believes that Leclerc’s crash was yet another mistake that he could not afford. The Monegasque already carried a significant deficit to championship rival Max Verstappen heading into the race.

Furthermore, the Canadian felt that given his current performances, Leclerc doesn’t deserve to win the title. In his column for Formule1, Villeneuve wrote:

“Leclerc makes another mistake that he should not make. He admits it himself, that's not how he deserves the championship. That is the big difference with Verstappen - this does not happen to him. And if he is beaten by Leclerc, he often finishes second."

“And so, we have a championship with two more or less equal cars, but where one has a big lead. It's the best example of how you won't win a championship.”

Ferrari started off the 2022 season as championship favorites as traditional rivals Mercedes and Red Bull struggled with their pace and reliability respectively. After the first few rounds, the Scuderia’s lead was such that any hopes for Red Bull were already being written off from the championship.

But fast forward a few months and Ferrari’s fortunes couldn’t have been worse. Charles Leclerc has a whopping 63-point deficit to Max Verstappen, while Red Bull have a solid 82-point lead over the Scuderia.

A series of reliability issues, poor strategy calls and driver errors have all contributed to Leclerc and Ferrari’s dramatic downfall.

Charles Leclerc cannot afford many mistakes while mounting a serious title campaign

Former Ferrari F1 driver Gerhard Berger believes that Charles Leclerc has made “one or two” mistakes that any driver serious about the championship cannot afford to make.

Berger felt that compared to other great drivers on the current grid, such as Lewis Hamilton, Leclerc lacks the experience to remain consistent. Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Berger said:

“[Leclerc] made one or two mistakes this year that shouldn’t happen when you’re serious for the championship."

“This is where Lewis [Hamilton] impresses me so much. He is always there. Whenever the door is open, he is on the podium to take the points. Leclerc needs a bit of this experience in these areas.”