Mitch
07/21/2010, 18h09
Article de Autoblog
There are two ways to land an F1 seat: pay or get paid. The latter is largely reserved for the top drivers in the sport. The former involves raising enough sponsorship dough to pay both your salary and a portion of the team's operating budget. As a former world champion long since fallen off his pedestal, Jacques Villeneuve (http://www.autoblog.com/tag/jacquesvilleneuve) has likely gone both routes. But in his last-gasp effort to get back into the pinnacle of motor racing, reports indicate that he's now taking a different approach.
According to reports from the motor racing paddock, Villeneuve has lodged a bid with the FIA to field his own team for next season. The slot on the grid opened up after the USF1 (http://www.autoblog.com/tag/usf1) team failed to make it, and is now in hot contention. ART GP, headed by FIA president Jean Todt's son Nicholas (who also manages several top-tier drivers) was one team expected to make a bid, but has since withdrawn.
Having contested 165 grands prix and won both the F1 and Indy championships – to say nothing of his stock-car and Le Mans racing forays – JV certainly has a wealth of experience to draw from, but if you're thinking he's got no team-management experience, hold on because there's more. Reports also suggest that Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds – the two former Renault (http://www.autoblog.com/category/renault) team bosses disgraced in the wake of the Crashgate scandal (http://www.autoblog.com/tag/crashgate) – could be involved in the bid as well. Also linked to the entry is Durango Automotive, the former GP2 racing team that was also tipped to be bidding for a spot on the F1 grid next season.
Villeneuve in the meantime is preparing to qualify for the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis next weekend. If he succeeds, he'll join Juan Pablo Montoya as the only drivers to contest the speedway's three biggest events: the United States Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400.
Article de Autosport
Jacques Villeneuve is hoping to return to Formula 1 as a team owner next season.
The 1997 world champion is believed to have submitted an application for the 13th place on the grid, under the Villeneuve Racing name.
German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, which first reported the story, suggested that former Renault team bosses Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds were involved with the project. There have also been suggestions of a partnership with ex-GP2 team Durango, which announced its F1 ambitions earlier this year.
Villeneuve admitted that he was working on an F1 project, but would not comment on specifics.
"I've never made it a secret that I'm looking at a future F1 programme, and have been working hard on that for the past 12 months," he said in a statement. "However, I have no further comment at this time."
The Canadian's manager Rick Gorne confirmed to BBC Sport that efforts were underway to get Villeneuve back into F1.
"There is an element of truth in the rumours," Gorne said. "F1 is a possibility - he does have the intention to get back. It's a project we're working on."
Villeneuve left F1 halfway through 2006, when he split with the BMW Sauber team. He pursued opportunities to get back on the grid with the arrival of the new teams for this season, and would have raced for Serbian outfit Stefan GP had it gained an entry. He is currently making occasional NASCAR appearances and will try to qualify for the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis next weekend.
There are two ways to land an F1 seat: pay or get paid. The latter is largely reserved for the top drivers in the sport. The former involves raising enough sponsorship dough to pay both your salary and a portion of the team's operating budget. As a former world champion long since fallen off his pedestal, Jacques Villeneuve (http://www.autoblog.com/tag/jacquesvilleneuve) has likely gone both routes. But in his last-gasp effort to get back into the pinnacle of motor racing, reports indicate that he's now taking a different approach.
According to reports from the motor racing paddock, Villeneuve has lodged a bid with the FIA to field his own team for next season. The slot on the grid opened up after the USF1 (http://www.autoblog.com/tag/usf1) team failed to make it, and is now in hot contention. ART GP, headed by FIA president Jean Todt's son Nicholas (who also manages several top-tier drivers) was one team expected to make a bid, but has since withdrawn.
Having contested 165 grands prix and won both the F1 and Indy championships – to say nothing of his stock-car and Le Mans racing forays – JV certainly has a wealth of experience to draw from, but if you're thinking he's got no team-management experience, hold on because there's more. Reports also suggest that Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds – the two former Renault (http://www.autoblog.com/category/renault) team bosses disgraced in the wake of the Crashgate scandal (http://www.autoblog.com/tag/crashgate) – could be involved in the bid as well. Also linked to the entry is Durango Automotive, the former GP2 racing team that was also tipped to be bidding for a spot on the F1 grid next season.
Villeneuve in the meantime is preparing to qualify for the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis next weekend. If he succeeds, he'll join Juan Pablo Montoya as the only drivers to contest the speedway's three biggest events: the United States Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400.
Article de Autosport
Jacques Villeneuve is hoping to return to Formula 1 as a team owner next season.
The 1997 world champion is believed to have submitted an application for the 13th place on the grid, under the Villeneuve Racing name.
German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, which first reported the story, suggested that former Renault team bosses Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds were involved with the project. There have also been suggestions of a partnership with ex-GP2 team Durango, which announced its F1 ambitions earlier this year.
Villeneuve admitted that he was working on an F1 project, but would not comment on specifics.
"I've never made it a secret that I'm looking at a future F1 programme, and have been working hard on that for the past 12 months," he said in a statement. "However, I have no further comment at this time."
The Canadian's manager Rick Gorne confirmed to BBC Sport that efforts were underway to get Villeneuve back into F1.
"There is an element of truth in the rumours," Gorne said. "F1 is a possibility - he does have the intention to get back. It's a project we're working on."
Villeneuve left F1 halfway through 2006, when he split with the BMW Sauber team. He pursued opportunities to get back on the grid with the arrival of the new teams for this season, and would have raced for Serbian outfit Stefan GP had it gained an entry. He is currently making occasional NASCAR appearances and will try to qualify for the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis next weekend.