Jacques Villeneuve says one F1 driver has ruined his reputation in the paddock ‘big time’ in 2026

Jacques Villeneuve stated that Mercedes driver George Russell has seen his reputation in the Formula 1 paddock decline significantly during the 2026 season. Speaking to F1TV, the 1997 world champion argued that Russell should be embarrassed not to sit second in the championship given Mercedes' constructors' title-winning car. Russell currently trails his championship-winning teammate Kimi Antonelli by 128 points.

Villeneuve explained that Russell's recent radio frustrations reflect the difficulty of being outperformed by his younger teammate, whom he described as Toto Wolff's primary project. With three races remaining in the season, Villeneuve asserted that Russell must secure second place ahead of Max Verstappen to avoid a challenging winter.