Jacques Villeneuve believes the opposition to Oscar Piastri in the F1 title battle, namely Lando Norris, has "collapsed" around the Australian.
The 1997 drivers' champion has claimed that whilst the 24-year-old has "stayed focused and cold", his McLaren team-mate is "stepping backwards" this year.
After the British driver opened the campaign with victory in Melbourne, Piastri has enjoyed the upper hand, transferring that advantage into a 16-point lead in the standings, having been 23 back after the round at Albert Park.
However, Villeneuve does not feel it is a case of the six-time grand prix winner taking a significant step forward and getting into Norris' head, but rather the latter has regressing and is self-inflicting his recent struggles.
"I don't think Oscar Piastri has got into Lando Norris's head, I think Lando got into his own head," the Canadian told Vision4Sport.
"Lando always seems to be on the back foot. Piastri looks and feels like he belongs there. He is there to fight."
"I don't think has changed that much. I think it's more that it has collapsed around him and he’s just stayed focused and cold.
"Maybe he has taken a small step. But that small step is getting bigger with the other one. Lando Norris is stepping backwards. It is making a big difference."
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Norris 'quicker' than Piastri
As for Norris getting in his own head, Villeneuve maintains the pressure has gotten to him, despite still being faster than Piastri.
The 54-year-old pointed out the multitude of high-profile errors the McLaren driver has made, which has thus far proven costly in the championship fight.
"Lando came in as an underdog last year who was not supposed to win and not supposed to fight for the championship," the 11-time grand prix explained. "That was easy. There was no pressure. Then it just builds up.
"This year he spent the whole winter thinking: 'Okay, this will be my big shot. It's next year or never.'
"Lando started the season with a different kind of weight on his shoulders and he hasn't coped well with that because he's still super quick, but there's the odd moment that is so costly in the championship.
"He’s generally quicker than Piastri, but the points are not there. There are just too many small mistakes and with the field so close, it means you lose more than one position, you lose maybe five spots. That's a lot of points."
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