Appearing on the High Performance Podcast, the Canadian was asked whether the disappointing season just gone will have an impact going forward: “It’s had a big impact because a lot of championships were won against a team-mate, and there was no real battle. The one fight he did have was against Nico, and he lost.

Asked to elaborate on what he meant by Lewis having grown accustomed to winning easily over the years, Villeneuve went on to add: “His championships weren’t difficult to go and win. Mercedes was miles ahead once the new engine came in, and every time things got close, they just turned up the power. It was all there, ready in hand. At that point, only a Mercedes could have won — almost with any driver on the grid.”

Despite a first season at Ferrari that fell well short of expectations — ending with zero wins, zero podiums and zero pole positions, something that had never happened before in his career — the seven-time world champion still chose to show his support for the team by paying a visit to the Maranello factory.

The Briton was pictured chatting with employees, also stopping for photos and autographs in a post shared by the Scuderia on social media.