Jacques Villeneuve : news & talks

Here is an article I had not seen anywhere that includes different questions and answers. Quite good.
http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/race/rally/villeneuve-to-race-in-world-rallycross/?

Thank you, now we know why he did not go in rally. Nice video to, nice to see him in a car.

BradPitStop wrote:

Here is an article I had not seen anywhere that includes different questions and answers. Quite good.
http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/race/rally/villeneuve-to-race-in-world-rallycross/?

You're right, full of interesting infos! Thx Brad!

BradPitStop wrote:

Here is an article I had not seen anywhere that includes different questions and answers. Quite good.
http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/race/rally/villeneuve-to-race-in-world-rallycross/?

Thanks  

Anyone who has read this?

Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve fears for F1's future
By Glenn Freeman Thursday, February 13th 2014, 16:21 GMT

Villeneuve fears for F1's future

Jacques Villeneuve has hit out at the direction Formula 1 is heading, stating that he fears for the sport's future based on the rule changes made in recent years.

Speaking at the reveal of his 2014 World Rallycross programme, the 1997 world champion told AUTOSPORT that he is worried F1 is becoming too artificial because it is "trying to cater to the wrong people".

"I'm worried about the state of F1, I just hope I'm wrong," said Villeneuve, who still attends grands prix as a TV pundit.

"I don't understand what they are trying to do. I don't understand the concept.

Watch the reveal of Villeneuve's Rallycross programme

"Formula 1 is not epic anymore, the drivers are not heroes. The problem is that the changes are being made in an artificial way and that doesn't work.

"It may be fun for six months, but after that everyone gets bored, and once you start going artificial you have to do it more and more to the point where it's not even real racing anymore."

While Villeneuve highlighted some of the changes for 2014 as concerning, he added that previous additions to the sport such as DRS - introduced in 2011 - were signs that Formula 1 is heading in the wrong direction.

"With the engine regulations, everything is so restrictive that it's not Formula 1 anymore, there's nothing special about it," he added.

"Conserving fuel is fine, and it was great in the past. The problem is that the drivers don't have to do it. It's all done electronically.

"You sit there and it saves fuel for you, and that defeats the purpose.

"The epic has been taken out of F1. The overtaking happens because you press a button, not because you make a special move."

CATERING TO THE WRONG PEOPLE

"They are trying to cater to the wrong people," he said. "They are trying to cater to the 'greens', but F1 is not green so there is no point even trying.

"It gives a good image to governments and parliaments but it's not F1.

"And they want to cater to the younger fans that don't have an attention span, and just want an overtake every two seconds even if it is a terrible one, because they don't understand it.

"I'm a purist and I love the sport. I loved the 60s and 70s, when the fans even enjoyed the races where only four cars finished and they were two laps apart.

"You respected what the drivers had done, what they had achieved.

"They are making a lot of decisions that in the long run are not helping F1."

Simon wrote:Yep. Been posted a few times in French already, and it looks like the second article dug some deeper into it and cited more comments. Never goes silent when jacques comments racing... maybe due to his not being politically correct and irreverencious.   

Sorry Simon, I do not visit the french post/comments due to no knowledge of the French language.  

Pollock: Villeneuve will be well-suited to rallycross
http://www.maxrally.com/2014/02/17/pollock-villeneuve-will-be-well-suited-to-rallycross

Kurski wrote:Pollock: Villeneuve will be well-suited to rallycross
http://www.maxrally.com/2014/02/17/pollock-villeneuve-will-be-well-suited-to-rallycross

May I conclude from this article that Pollack still has some influence on the future of JV, or are they permanently separated?
I thought to know that someone else is JV's manager! I lost his name.

Brundle vs. Villeneuve

Martin Brundle has scolded former F1 rival Jacques Villeneuve, after the 1997 world champion attacked the sport's new V6 era.
As his new foray in the world rallycross series was launched last week, 42-year-old French Canadian Villeneuve slammed not only F1's new 'greener' guise, he also denounced the drivers of 2014 as "mediocre".
"(It) angers me when former F1 drivers stick a boot into F1 for publicity," Brundle, now a highly-respected commentator for British television, wrote on Twitter, without referring to Villeneuve by name.
"They had privileged chances, success, cash. Give something positive back," he added.

Source http://www.motorsport.com/

Simon wrote:Jacques always said what was on his mind, even back when he was behind the wheel of one of these... Think that's gonna change now? Not...  

JV is a champion, a race winner and speaks his mind. Mr Brundle: Sorry you have no point.
Jacques always spoke his mind & glad he hasn't lost that one, the others speak in Bernie's pocket.
F1 is a become a joke now; the cars are so automated that basically anyone could hop in and drive. Chould we go back to the switch manually like early day's?

www.autosport.com
Former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve tests rallycross Peugeot

Former Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve tested the car he will drive in the new-for-2014 World Rallycross Championship on Saturday.

The French-Canadian driver completed ten four-lap runs in the Albatec Racing-run Peugeot 208 Supercar at Lydden Hill, Kent, where the second round of the new world series will take place on May 24-25.

"It's great to finally drive on a proper world championship rallycross track with a combination of asphalt and gravel.Lydden Hill is great, a real fun track," said Villeneuve.

"It's been a fun experience working with the team. Andy [Scott, team principal] stands out because of his passion for the sport.

"You don't do rallycross because of the jet set, you do it because of the racing, so now I'm really looking forward to going head-to-head with the other drivers at the first round in Portugal."

Villeneuve's running was cut short in the morning by power steering problems but they were resolved by the team and experienced no further issues.

"It's vital that Jacques gets as much track time as possible, on different circuits, to help him acclimatise to a world rallycross car," said Scott.

"We chose Lydden Hill as it is the perfect circuit for this, providing a good mixture of challenges. We will test again before the season starts."

Hey thx Anstor for the article!

I guess that it is gonna be really difficult for JV to get the same volume of practice than the one he had before his first season in F1...

SpeedMetal wrote:Hey thx Anstor for the article!

I guess that it is gonna be really difficult for JV to get the same volume of practice than the one he had before his first season in F1...

Indeed, you have a point, but I think the period of JV with Skoda that he took part of some races in the Andros thropy do have taught and learnd him lots of skills and steerage.
He will probably have to learn the new Peugeot and feel.

Nevertheless, my main concerns are more in regard with external variables...   

I do believe that, if he ever have a flying saucer (in hand) for the first time, he will drive it to its limits right away...

 

Jacques to race Indy 500
http://www.racer.com/index.php/indycar/item/101413-indycar-jacques-villeneuve-to-return-to-indy-500-with-schmidt-peterson-motorsports

Cheers,
C.B.

Incredible news!!! C.B.  
 
This is going to bring lots of attention here's more:

http://indysportsreport.com/2014/02/1995-indy-500-winner-jacques-villeneuve-gets-500-ride-may/

Montoya and possibly Kurt Bush at Indy also... more to come.

Wow... I'd never thought he'd drive an openwheeler on an oval again as father of four children.

Simon Pagenaud was 3rd in the championship last year with the same team, so i guess they know how to build a fast car   

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Schmidt_Motorsports

That's the one with whom Tag had his pole at the Indy race of 2011...

But, the chances for JV to win are very very thin... even considering his great talents...

C.B. wrote:Jacques to race Indy 500
http://www.racer.com/index.php/indycar/item/101413-indycar-jacques-villeneuve-to-return-to-indy-500-with-schmidt-peterson-motorsports

Cheers,
C.B.

Great and good news.
Can all this be combined (rallycross - TV pundit)?