Villeneuve Quits F1!!?

[Iron-Burner]

just read this at http://www.f-1.com/uk/en/news_view.asp?cid=1&nid=78520

After eight years in Formula One during which he took part in 131 Grands Prix, 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has quit the sport in sensational circumstances.

Earlier this week it was announced that Villeneuve's services would not be required any longer at the team he helped to create, BAR. With Japanese driver Takuma Sato taking Villeneuve's place alongside Jenson Button for next season, the French-Canadian's options certainly looked limited for the future.

Despite rumours that surfaced earlier this year that Takuma Sato would be driving in Suzuka, it was widely believed that this was speculation and Jacques would be driving, as per his contract, to the end of the season. This emerged not to be the case, however, with the news today that it would be Sato in the BAR this weekend.

BAR boss David Richards told news agency Reuters what transpired. "I was travelling down here on the bullet train this morning and I received a call from Craig Pollock [JV's manager] informing me that Jacques wanted to be released from his contractual obligations.

"I've agreed to this. If somebody doesn't want to drive, they don't want to drive and so Takuma will be driving on Sunday."

Villeneuve's manager, Craig Pollock, gave an explanation for his decision. "Jacques is extremely disappointed not to be staying with the team next year, and he simply felt that his heart would not be in it for the coming weekend. As a result he asked that he be allowed to stand down. We are grateful to David Richards, and the team, for releasing him early from his contract."

[Shaolin]

yep time to go back to CART.. They wanted him back for a while now.. although i'm sure a team in F1 will pick up the washed up driver.. Won his title and then pretty much disappeared.. Tried to pull the "I won the championship now i want a huge pay raise" just like Damon Hill.. oh well.

[hjr]

well he got screwed. he made the terrible choice of going to BAR after winning his championship with mclaren (apparantly renault making most of the rest of this post irrelevant). And look where mclaren is now, very close to another championhsip -it isnt going ot happen, but their close- too bad JV. i liked that we had the only northamerican on the circut, just like WRC. Go Pat Richard!

[gpomp]

Originally posted by hjr
well he got screwed. he made the terrible choice of going to BAR after winning his championship with mclearen. And look where mclearen is now, very close to another championhsip -it isnt going ot happen, but their close- too bad JV. i liked that we had the only northamerican on the circut, just like WRC. Go Pat Richard!

You suck at F1.

[hjr]

??? if im wrong, please correct me. that is all

[Shaolin]

JV drove for McLaren? He won the championship with Renault i'm pretty sure.. McLaren was driven by Hakkinen

[gpomp]

You both suck at F1. JV drove for Williams in 97 where he won the WDC. Then he went to BAR in 99 until now. He did not drive for McLaren or Renault and there is no one called "Pat Richard", his name is David Richards.

[92 Teg-B18A]

Villeneuve still has the skills IMO, he just needs the car to be there. If Montoya goes to Mclaren look for Villeneuve to be going to Williams.

[4wheeldrift]

Originally posted by gpomp
You both suck at F1. JV drove for Williams in 97 where he won the WDC. Then he went to BAR in 99 until now. He did not drive for McLaren or Renault and there is no one called "Pat Richard", his name is David Richards.

Patrick Richard is a rally driver, a canadian and currently the only north american running a WRC series (Group N in this case). Hence his reference to him liking there only being one canadian driver in F1, just like WRC.

[gpomp]

Originally posted by 4wheeldrift
Patrick Richard is a rally driver, a canadian and currently the only north american running a WRC series (Group N in this case). Hence his reference to him liking there only being one canadian driver in F1, just like WRC.

Ooops, I'm not a rally guy.

[boi-alien]

Originally posted by gpomp
You both suck at F1. JV drove for Williams in 97 where he won the WDC. Then he went to BAR in 99 until now. He did not drive for McLaren or Renault and there is no one called "Pat Richard", his name is David Richards.

actually JV drove for williams-renault.... smartass

[Redlyne_mr2]

Villeneuve always and still has talent just doens have the right team or machine...even when he raced rothmans porsche cup series in the 80s he was dominant

[fast95pony]

Villeneuve decided his heart wasn't in it, so Sato is taking his place in the Japanese GP. There are a few rumours about Jacques returning to F1 next year, but I think he's done.
Today is a sad day for F1 .
I want to see him competitively racing again , be it a LMP car , GT car , or a Zamboni !!

[hjr]

damn, i though it was williams mclaren at the time. well fuck, im wrong...

[nickyh]

He's done nothing but complain about his car and F1 in general ever since he went to BAR. So long to bad trash as far as I feel.

He could have helped out the team by taking a pay cut but that may hinder his life in Monaco (poor baby).

[rage2]

Originally posted by nickyh
He's done nothing but complain about his car and F1 in general ever since he went to BAR. So long to bad trash as far as I feel.

He could have helped out the team by taking a pay cut but that may hinder his life in Monaco (poor baby).

BAR had a huge budget when they first started. They hired the best driver to help deveop the Tyrell into a winning F1 car. He was paid a lot to bitch about the car so they could develop it further. Unfortunately, the car never evolved, nor did a competitive engine package ever came up. Then people started hating him for bitching so much.

Jaques is a great driver. Dominated the Formula Atlantics, Won the Indy 505 (he did 505 miles, 202 laps and still won), and of course nearly won the F1 championship his first year out. I honestly think if he can secure a seat at a top team (doubtful at this stage of the game), we would see him as champion again. Maybe McLaren will give JV a chance once they punt Coultard. He's been struggling for too long now.

[redline]

Originally posted by rage2



Jaques is a great driver. Dominated the Formula Atlantics, Won the Indy 505 (he did 505 miles, 202 laps and still won), and of course nearly won the F1 championship his first year out. I honestly think if he can secure a seat at a top team (doubtful at this stage of the game), we would see him as champion again. Maybe McLaren will give JV a chance once they punt Coultard. He's been struggling for too long now.

I think he could win again but he would never drive for McLaren. McLaren drivers have to pimp benz and other sponsers ALOT. JV has said many times that he would never drive for McLaren because of it, so Mclaren would never hire him.

His best shot at a top seat would be williams.

[Weapon_R]

The skill is there, but the car isn't. People seem to forget that he was the F1 champ not too long ago. The team just isn't there anymore, and it's a lot more than the driver that gets the checkered flag. Of course he is going to complain - it's probably a nasty shock for him to be on top of the podium one year and then considering himself lucky to finish a race the immediate year and commencing years after...

[civic_stylez]

the honda has got to stay on the road!!! i think michelins might be a big help for bar. that and the honda engine weighs 30 lbs more than any engine out there. feel bad for JV but Sato really wants to perform well...

[ninjak84]

It'll be interesting to see if BAR/Honda will do better or worse from this.