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Comeback Kid? Jacques Villeneuve reportedly wants back into F1
Jacques Villeneuve knows what it's like to win. After emerging victorious in the Indianapolis 500, the CART title, the Formula One World Championship and narrowly missing the chance to score the triple crown with Peugeot at Le Mans this year, the son of legendary racer Gilles Villeneuve finds himself without a ride for next year as the Speedcar Series in which he'd been competing teeters on the verge of bankruptcy. But JV's got a plan. He wants back into Formula One. And he reckons next season will be the perfect time for him to return.
Even with Max Mosley's radical proposals cut back, next season is shaping up to be vastly different from the Formula One of two or three seasons ago. In-season testing is almost entirely eliminated. Fuel stops are being cut out. Slick tires are back and electronic aids are gone. And there are three new teams joining the grid for next season. All these factors, according to Villeneuve, means that there will be an even higher demand for experienced drivers than usual. Will anyone bite? Only time will tell, but he figures it's high time.
[Source: Autosport]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
vf34wrx 8:16AM (7/08/2009)
someone will bite, but DC is probably a better candidate to come back...
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John Johnson 8:31AM (7/08/2009)
DC said he retired one season too early and wishes he had stayed for the return of slick tires and enhanced overtaking. The schedule now is *so* much easier on the drivers, with no testing and extended breaks (like we have now). He says he could have done this season a lot easier. But he didn't want to overstay, and he didn't want to be the last one to know it was time for him to go. He got out while he was still good, and I think he's glad because of it.
Noidor 8:45AM (7/08/2009)
I don't think JV has a chance to get back into F1 even though I believe he is a match for anyone out there. I recall looking at timesheets for practice, qualifying, fast laps in race, and what I noticed is that he matched everyone all the time whether it was Button, Massa or Heidfeld. Only time when he was off was in 2006 when he briefly drove for Renault.
Problem is poor man has no luck, and there are people who like to make things worse for him because of his rather outspoken nature, even though he has never said anything over the top.
So can he get a drive next season? Well definitely not with USGP because Peter Windsor hates JV's guts, maybe an up and coming team can hire him, perhaps even Force India, maybe Toro Rosso because they like eccentric figures as drivers, but we shall see. I think in some ways Graig Pollock compromised JV's image.
Ronman 9:23AM (7/08/2009)
Poor man no luck? he won the championship!!! the Champ... not sure why people often overlook this... (although i hated his guts at the time, but as i learned, JV is an acquired taste)
Matt 10:37PM (7/08/2009)
@ Noidor
He would have to change his name to Sebastien to drive for Toro Rosso lol (Vettel, Buemi, Bourdais)
erusnak 8:21AM (7/08/2009)
Bring back ralph schumacher's brother!
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TORONTO 8:31AM (7/08/2009)
+ 1
What he said!!
Redline 9:56AM (7/08/2009)
Haha, then JV won't be back!
AZZO45b 11:58AM (7/08/2009)
Michael's bro is RALF Schumacher ... Ralph Schumacher is the owner of the deli up my street
Phil Perman 8:23AM (7/08/2009)
If he does come back that'll mean there will be 5 world champions on the grid, we haven't had that for a while
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Jsams4131 8:33AM (7/08/2009)
lol I would like to see it. But whats the point when the man at the top of F1 just talks out of his A**hole (Ecclestone) I wouldn't want to race in any series under that guy.
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John Johnson 8:34AM (7/08/2009)
I do hope to see him return. He said F1 wasn't fun any more with all of the computer aids, etc.... his race engineer would spend a half an hour setting parameters with the car and tell him to just "shut up and drive". Shutting up is one thing Jacques just can not do :p. He's more than a driver, he's a VERY outspoken person. I think that could be what's needed, both on a new team and for F1 in general. He'd be a VERY valuable asset to one of the new teams. I just don't know if their cars will be competitive in the first season, and I have a feeling he'll want to make a strong comeback. Normally Heiki would be sucking so bad I'd assume he'd take his place at McLaren, but him and Lewis have both just been trying to live with the crap car, can't fault him for that.
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Steve 10:26AM (7/08/2009)
Stay Away JV fans don't want you here anymore you grumpy Frenchman!!
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Ronman 9:15AM (7/08/2009)
Torro Rosso and JV fit together, and the car is essentially a good one so is the engine, with a crack driver, that is if JV compares to Vettel, he can be up there, at least in p5 or so...
if Montoya and DC make it back they should inject some spirit in the stale line-up...
actually i never like JV in the past, but with the boring figures we have in F1 now he's more than welcome to come and crash the boring party...
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Kitko 9:35AM (7/08/2009)
JV was the last driver in F1 who said what he thought and didn't feel the need to engage in climbing up anybody's butt. It's not a pose, it's that he just positions himself to oppose others.
These days when it's more and more about a driver he'd be more than competitive. Young drivers, perhaps with the exception of Vettel are hopeless with car settings, they have no idea what works and what doesn't, Hamilton used Alonso's settings, Button's techs usually copy settings of the Ruben's car and they even brag about it. JV won the title despite boneheads in Williams who managed to screw Damon Hill several times as he had a better car than Schumacher's Benetton. It took one stubborn Canadian who knew what he was doing and had THE presence for Williams to win the title.
JV in F1 will be a good thing even if he drives for the midfield team.
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Tim 10:00AM (7/08/2009)
I like Jacques, but he's terrifically overrated.
Both of his championships were won in cars that another driver developed.
When tasked with bringing a new team up to speed, he couldn't cut it. The problems BAR had were certainly not his alone, but he didn't exactly distinguish himself.
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Robert B 10:38AM (7/08/2009)
I wouldn't mind seeing the other JV (Jos the Boss) getting a good final shot at F1.
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Jared 10:20AM (7/08/2009)
I gave up on F1 a long time ago. I could care less whether JV returns or not. If both Bernie and Max step down from F1, I might consider watching a race. Until then, I won't.
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gzullo 12:30PM (7/08/2009)
What would be the point if JV got into a mid-pack team? His reputation would be further tarnished, even if is really the car's fault. No, I'd like to see JV in Sports Cars (American or European Le Mans), where drivers of his skill and talent are in demand, age-ism isn't so much in play, and the cars and technology aren't artificially hampered/capped. He distinguished himself as a one-shot at Le Mans; he'd be great behind the wheel of a P1 or P2 car all season.
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pippin4652 11:09AM (7/08/2009)
GOD NO!
The only reason I would want him on the grid would be because it would give me someone to hate. He wasn't good enough six years ago, so why does the little smug git think he'll be good enough now?
If he gets a drive, it'll be at the expense of someone who really deserves it. There are drivers such as Anthony Davidson and Adam Carrol who are more talented and definitely deserve a drive in one of the new teams next year.
If I was one of the new team bosses trying to get an experienced former driver, I'd want Hakkinen, so much more talented than Villeneuve, and he'd still be able to do a job now.
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