Villeneuve believes Ferrari could "burn" Mick Schumacher
F1 News
- Bobby Vincent
Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve believes Mick Schumacher could regret switching to the Ferrari Academy towards the end of last year.
The 20-year-old is now driving in Formula 2, following his Formula 3 success the season before. Schumacher was signed by Ferrari Academy at the end of 2018, and has appeared for them in the Bahrain in-season testing a month or so ago.
But the 1997 world champion, Villeneuve, who had a domestic rivalry with Mick's father, Michael Schumacher, believes Scuderia could "burn" the youngster out and he may live to rue his decision to switch so early on in his career.
"Right now, they (Ferrari) are using his image but if he is not super fast, they will burn him," the Canadian told the Swedish newspaper Expressen. "It has been fairly quiet until now but that time is over. Everyone will be looking at everything he does in an extreme way."
Villeneuve can put himself somewhat in Schumacher's shoes - being the son of Formula 1 legend Gilles Villeneuve: "If he is not quick and he makes mistakes, he will be criticised hard. He has to cope with it or go home, there is no middle road."