No F1 for Villeneuve in 2004

[Wrex]

Not a suprise really, but Yahoo Sport have quoted an interview he did with Swiss weekly L'Illustré.

"I feel relieved but more tired than ever," said Villeneuve in the interview with L'Illustré. "These last two years, I often felt exhausted. These difficult seasons worn me out. I have less energy, I need to recharge, it will come back. Now I am becoming a bit lazy in the morning. Going back in F1 with Jordan to be at the back of the grid... no thank you! I had to endure this situation for the past five years.

[ralf fan]

well as you said, it was expected. though him stating about being tired etc.... could this be a complete retirement??

[Gt_R]

Will he learn to not sound arrogant as if the F1 world needs him?

Going back in F1 with Jordan to be at the back of the grid no thank you?! He has to be thankful that anybody would even give him any considerations.

Jordan isn't desperate for drivers, there are plenty decent drivers with money to boot, and there are many drivers that has talent and speed to match. Jacques ought to keep his options open by keeping good relationships with teams, not to despise them. He's not doing himself any good, and like what Rubens said, JV only has himself to blame for being booted out of F1.

[Wrex]

IN JV's defence Gt_R, he also added

At Jordan, the team has a great attitude, the people work well together, they have fabulous results considering the means that they have. But no, I am happy not to be in the paddock anymore."

[darcym]

Agogant yes, talented...also yes. Any team would be lucky to have JV, as he is a bullish driver that drives hard and well. He's not been at his best in BAR and has had some bad luck, and yes he does mouth off, but I would rarther has someone who sticks his neck on the line and says what he thinks than someone like Kimi who has Martin Whitmore above him pulling the strings (Kimi is great - but he does not allow any personality of thoughts to come through)

[Wrex]

Whats bothers me, is how many seats can he knock back he has never been offered?

He refused the Ferrari drive he was'nt offered, the Renault drive he was'nt offered, and now the Jordan drive he has'nt been offered.

Darcym, I agree but they are paid to drive, not give sound bites.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Wrex


He refused the Ferrari drive he was'nt offered, the Renault drive he was'nt offered, and now the Jordan drive he has'nt been offered.

If memory serves, he was offered the Renault seat, but turned it down. But your right on the other 2 (Ferrari and Jordan)

[BootsOntheSide]

I'm sure Ron Dennis has more effect on the emotions conveyed by McLaren drivers, and it's WhitMARSH anyway.

Jacques has made the right decision not to consider going to Jordan, because they don't have any of the attributes BAR had in their favour when they were started up (massive financial support, gifted personnel headhunted from around the paddock, the potential to be completely behind JV to the point of not allowing his team-mate a chance, and the potential to pay him a World Champion's salary).

[Mark Webber]

I like JV and I hope his back next year . I think a spot back in Williams is a big chance as I think Webber & Button will not be at Williams .
going to Jordan would have been a huge mistake . If I was JV I would be talking to fw now about 05

[darcym]

I'm sure Ron does pay a massive part on the drivers emotions, and Whitmore was a typo, my head said Whitmarsh, my fingers disagreed, but thats just nitpicking. I agree that drivers are there to drive, but at the same time be entertaining (I don't mean cracking gags). I read a review in Autosport in October after the Jap GP, where Shumacher was testing tyres, a tyres blew and he went off. A Journo asked him about it, he remained quiet, he asked again, and pointed at the tyre, The Journo then realised he wasn't "authorised" to talk about the tyre blow, and after much questioning could not even get Shumacher to look at the car, acknowledge that the tyre was flat or anything. This is not part of the sport, Shuacmher should have been free to say "yeah, the tyre blew. I was pushing hard and it just went. Looks like it has come off the rim, we'll wait until we get it back to have a look at it." People like JV / Irvine / Alesi are missed because of their driving, their charecter and personality and because of their interaction with the sport, on TV/Jounro's etc. He Eddie how come you qualified near the back "We have massive problems with the car, the engines good but we have Chassis problems" £1000 says you never hear Kimi say anything that truthful or interesting about the Car. Look how open JV was about the engine problems, Irvine about the R2/R2B Alesi about the problems at Prost. All I get is "Mclaren West Mercedes is a great team, who are continuing their drive for excellence. We will remedy the problems in qualifying and be strong in the race"

Sorry to pick on Kimi others do it too, while driving is the number one focus, they should be free to intereact with people.

[darcym]

NB: Note to sponsors I'd be more likley to buy something because JV said its good than Kimi, if JV says its good...you can bet it is because if its not he'd say "its ****" Kimi says what ever Ron & Co tell him to.

(Again Kimi is just an example)

[Jay]

Have to admit, F1 will be a little more dull without Villeneuve around.... And it has been even more dull since Irvine left....

Best wishes to Jacques in his new endeavors - be it on the ski slopes, in computers or in some sort of business!

[ljakse]

You can dislike JV as much as you want, call him a whinner, say he is untalented, or whatever.
For us who have respect for him, this is a loss for F1 in total. Just as darcym sad, I'd buy the stuff JV sad is good before any other stuff advertised by any other driver in recent years.
Untill this year we were complaining how dull F1 became, how there is no overtaking, no racing like 'that race' in Dijon and stuff like that. Most of that was due to 'safety concern above anything' - to the point it started losing sence. We also keep complaining how today's drivers are so PR trained that they became as broken records - they just keep repeating what they were trained to say in their team's PR schools.
The only guy who stud up against that was JV, and to a lesser extent Edie Irvine.
JV was the only driver that wasn't a member of F1 drivers association because of his believes and principles. Not because he thoguht he's gonna achieve anything, but because he believes that there is too much politics nad not enough racing in F1.
He didn't suit in nowdays 'perfect driver' pattern - as darcym allready explained. He has his opinion and he isn't afraid to say it loud even if it's gonna cost him.
I'm sure Jackie Stewart wasn't appriciated to much by team-bosses & FIA when he started complaining about poor safety conditions, and when he bargained hard for contract that would actually bring him a lot of money, but nowdays he is regarded as one of the persons that brought F1 to a higher standard.
IMHO, JV was bringing F1 to a higher standard - not in a corporate/business way, but in a way to bring drivers back to the fans. He actually showed and sad what he thinks about anything and anybody in F1, and didn't just read PR releases.
And for all that, I will miss him very much.

[Gt_R]

I'm not a fan of JV's, i admit, but neither do i dislike him. He is talented no doubt, but he hasn't shown himself to be exceptional bar a few impressive efforts.

I don't know about others, but sponsors to me are just people who help F1 survive. What they promote has little influence on my purchase.

But i agree fully that PR-trained drivers are a big boo boo. It just makes the whole paddock so work-orientated... Heck..it's Sunday isn't it? Irvine, Alesi are missed because they are colourful characters. JPM is in F1 now to spice the show. JV would really be interesting when he voice his opinions too... but there's really a very thin line from overdoing it and look like "whining" when everything you say is negative and "Hey,it's F1's loss, not mine..F1 needs me" attitude which would end up turning fans off.

You get the impression that all he's saying is just to spite others, save his face or attract attention..

And please, there is no comparison with the "opinions" of Stewart with JV... one is constructive for the bigger good, another is not (and for rather personal reasons)

I agree that JV's departure is a loss to F1. But a big one? I don't think so... however, if he does find himself a 2nd chance, he'd be welcomed.

[DaveOrama]

After reading the interview, you can really pick up on JV's dislike of Dave Richards. Time will show if DR is correct in his approach to setting up the BAR team.

It is a shame JV is going, his sort of spark will be missed.

[Knowlesy]

I think time has already told us how good DR is at setting up teams. BAR is visibly improving, they've got rid of a very unsettling, albeit very talented character, he hired Jenson and he did a reasonable job in 1998 at Benetton before Benetton family politics ruined the show.

[Kicking-back]

I'd like to take this opportunity to announce I won't be driving for Jordan this season.

[GP Racer]

You have to admit, that the way he left F1 had to be alittle embarrasing and humbling, for a former WDC. There had to be alot of "good riddance" and "heres your hat, whats your hurry" coming from the guys in the paddock.

So if he's capable of feeling humble,(a big if) you would have to think he would have abit of trepidation over ever returning to F1.

[corkholio]

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. That Petter Solberg fellow should be mighty glad that he has nothing to do with DR/Prodrive.

[deeks6]

I think its the name that gets people all steamy...Jacques Villeneuve....if his name was John Williams, we'd have forgotton him by now.

[Gt_R]

Quote:"I'd like to take this opportunity to announce I won't be driving for Jordan this season"

Yeah...Ferrari extended Ruben's contract after i turned down an offer to drive Ferrari with Michael as No.2. Same thing happened at Mclaren...sigh

[Kirk]

F1, supposedly the pinnacle of auto racing should employ drivers for their skill and ability on the track. Unfortunately, it just aint so. DR, who to this point has proven to be an inept jerk who attracts no fans to F1, has single handedly forced JV a fan favorite world wide and an ex-world champion out of the sport; and in the prime of his career. Bernie and company should be embarassed.

[Wrex]

Kirk, in all fairness, there are nine other teams lacking interest as well? Are they 'inept jerks' as well? As fot the prime of his career, I think that was 97.

I dont think anyone doubts JV's ability behind the wheel (when he feels like it), but he comes with enough luggage to fill a samsonite warehouse.

V, not sure if Renault was interested in JV earlier but Flav was quoted in August (sorry, could'nt find the whole story yet) with

Flavio Briatore says Renault don't want the Canadian - even if he would drive for free: "I don't want Villeneuve even if he offers to drive for Renault for free. I've got good drivers, who work hard and show respect. I don't want a star driver who doesn't show respect to people. And besides, he's not that fast."

[Kirk]

Re: " Kirk, in all fairness, there are nine other teams lacking interest as well? Are they 'inept jerks' as well? As fot the prime of his career, I think that was 97"

Amazing isn't it!! Jacques has never been accepted by the F1 elitists. How dare he come over from North America and be competitive. How dare he challenge Schumi and beat him as a sophomore in '97 (and a relative rookie really). What a blessing that he chose to gamble and start BAR from scratch and fail. Now, at 32 he has suddenly lost it? DR has managed to convince many a fan that that is so? But the F1 owners, I don't think so. In North American sport there is a word describing this; its called collusion. The F1 teams, in particular those out of the top 3 just need competitive drivers, not necessarily the quickest ... and preferably yes men who say exactly what they're told to say and who bring with them big sponsorship bucks. Pathetic !

[Wrex]

Collusion. Hmm, nice word.

Whats the word when your manager negotiates both sides of a contract?