Villeneuve: "I don't think Hamilton's words for Leclerc were genuine"

Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve doesn't think Lewis Hamilton's motivational speech to Charles Leclerc after the Bahrain Grand Prix was genuine, as the Canadian thinks Hamilton just did that because there were camera's in front of him.

Villeneuve, currently an analyst at Sky Sports Italia, was present at the Bahrain Grand Prix to give his thoughts for the Italian television audience.

When discussing the speech Hamilton gave after the race to console Leclerc, Villeneuve thinks this was very calculated from the Brit.

"It's nice that people are so positive about Hamilton when he spoke so nicely to Leclerc," he said during the broadcast.

"However, what people forget it that drivers are very aware of the camera's and that their words will travel across the world. I don't think Hamilton's words for Leclerc were genuine."

Later in the broadcast, Villeneuve expanded on his remarks, saying Hamilton was patronising Leclerc by placing himself above the youngster.

"If you listen closely to what Hamilton is saying, he's actually trying to say he's much better than Leclerc and the rest of the field. The words were belittling towards Leclerc, which is how Hamilton wanted to show to him that he's above him."

Hamilton is no stranger to psychological warfare, but whether this talk to the gutted Leclerc was calculated or not remains speculation from the part of Villeneuve.