''Influence of the engines will still be great in 2022''

From 2022 onwards, Formula 1 will look completely different because of the new regulations that come into force that year. However, Jacques Villeneuve assumes that the best team will still be Mercedes, regardless of the new rules.

Mercedes has had a grip on Formula 1 since 2014. The new hybrid engines introduced in 2014 gave Mercedes a head start, which they have not given up since then. "As long as F1 remains a hybrid formula, it will be almost impossible for competitors to get close to Mercedes. Not only do they have the best car, but with Lewis Hamilton they also have the best driver'', Villeneuve said to La Stampa.

Hamilton wins from Verstappen

However, in an interview with the German Sport1.de Villeneuve discusses this in more detail. Asked whether there will be no competition for Mercedes from 2022 onwards, the Canadian is very firm. ''The influence of the engine will still be too great", says the 1997 world champion about the engines which will indeed remain the same until 2025.

However, with the new regulations for the cars and the additional budget cap, Villeneuve hopes for a battle between Hamilton and Max Verstappen, but Villeneuve is pessimistic about that too. ''Max is an enormous talent and he has developed incredibly well, but Lewis is still in top form, super fast and with his experience simply has an advantage over Verstappen'', concludes Villeneuve.