Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 Formula One world champion, has pointed out that a noticeable gap still exists between Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen, with the Dutch driver's ability to avoid mistakes being a key factor in his advantage. As Antonelli, the Mercedes driver, approaches his first world title, Villeneuve highlights that the Italian's frequent small errors could eventually affect his chances, even with a significant lead in the championship. At just 20 years old, Antonelli currently holds an 84-point lead with seven races left in the season, including a Sprint race. At the recent race in Sepang, Antonelli strengthened his position by finishing second behind Verstappen, who claimed his first victory of the season with Red Bull. However, Antonelli's performance was not without issues. In the final laps, he ran wide in the final corner and collided with the barrier at the entrance to the pit lane, potentially damaging his front wing. Villeneuve noted that such incidents highlight the difference between Antonelli and Verstappen, stating that the Dutchman is extremely precise when in form and rarely makes mistakes. Villeneuve believes that if Red Bull had had a car as strong as Mercedes from the start of the season, these small errors would have had a more significant impact on the championship. However, he argues that it is now too late in the season for such mistakes to change the outcome significantly. Antonelli also benefited from the withdrawal of his main rival, George Russell, who suffered a power unit problem. With an 84-point lead and only seven races remaining, Russell's situation becomes increasingly difficult. Villeneuve acknowledges that Antonelli is currently in control of his position, especially due to his performance advantage over his teammate, George Russell. "He controls the situation, also because he is generally faster than Russell," Villeneuve said. "George knows this and it is not going to make him better. It is difficult for him." However, the Canadian is not ready to declare the championship over, noting that several races remain and retirements could quickly alter the situation. Villeneuve sees the main risk for Antonelli as his continued tendency to make small mistakes, which, while not yet costly, could eventually have serious consequences. Despite his comfortable lead, the Italian must improve his precision and consistency to match Verstappen's level. Antonelli remains in a strong position to secure his first world title, but Villeneuve believes he must continue to refine his performance to achieve the consistency demonstrated by Verstappen.