Former Formula 1 driver Jacques Villeneuve has taken fire at Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher, claiming their success in the sport is mainly down to the cars they were driving.

With 12 World Championships shared between them, Hamilton and Schumacher are two of the most successful F1 drivers ever.

Both household names, Schumacher is known for his time at Ferrari, where he spent a decade of his career, and spent the majority of it dominating his peers on the race track.

Hamilton, who currently drives for Mercedes, clinched his fifth world title last season and now leads the 2019 standings by 73 points.

Yet, according to Villeneuve, the pair only have their cars to thank for their success.

“These two drivers only won when they had the best car,” the Canadian told Motorsport-Total.com, as per PlanetF1.

“They’ve always had the best car in their entire career and, if you put Lewis in a Williams, you do not win.

“There [at Mercedes] he builds a team around him, that’s all, he might not have won in a Ferrari.”

Villeneuve, who now drives in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, believes the car is the central ingredient for the recipe for success.

“And also with Senna: He won in the best car. Prost too, that’s just how it works.”

Recently, Hamilton has drawn comparisons with Ayrton Senna, the Brazilian widely hailed as one of the greatest F1 drivers ever.

We’ll never know whether Hamilton or Schumacher would have amassed as many titles with a different model.

But with their track record and brimming trophy cabinets, it’s no surprise the best brands want them behind the wheel.