Jacques Villeneuve Leaves Venturi Formula E Team

[Paul Jeffrey]

1997 Formula One World Champion Jacques Villeneuve has parted ways with the Venturi Formula E team just 3 races into his comeback to full time open wheel motorsport.

Since leaving the Swiss Sauber F1 team at the end of the 2006 Grand Prix season, Villeneuve has made several aborted attempts at prolonging a career that has included Indy 500 and IndyCar triumphs, 11 Grand Prix wins and a World Championship in 1997.

The French Canadian moved away from open wheel cars and turned his hand at closed top NASCAR racing once retiring from Formula One but received little success in the series, failing to claim victory in any of his 23 starts across the main and support series as well as the lower tier Craftsman Truck championship.

Highlights of Villeneuve's post F1 career do include 2 starts in the Le Mans 24 Hour sportscar race for the Peugeot LMP1 squad, alongside his only race win in the last 8 years with victory for the French manufacturer in the LeMans Series 1000km Spa-Franchorchamps event.

In recent years the son of Ferrari legend Gilles Villeneuve attempted another fulltime return to motorsport when he turned his hand to Rallycross driving, competing in 8 rounds of the FIA World Rallycross Championship driving for Albatec Racing. This latest setback could well spell the end of the road for the highly controversial driver as he spends more time on his music recording career as well as working as a Grand Prix pundit for Sky Sports Italy.

Having been comfortably out-performed by team-mate Stephane Sarrazin this season, perhaps news of the split isn’t a great surprise, however it would be a very sad way to see one of the most charismatic personalities leave the sport that made the Villeneuve name famous throughout the world.

At 44 years of age and without a full time drive since leaving Formula One at the end of 2006, do you think Jacques Villeneuve still has what it takes to be compedetive in top level motorsport? Leave your comments below!

 

[Paul Jeffrey]

It has been confirmed in the last few hours that the seat vacated by Villeneuve will be filled by Englishman Mike Conway for the Buenos Aires ePrix on February 6th.

Conway, 32, took part in pre season testing this year for the Dragon Racing team and is a former British Formula 3 Champion and Macau Grand Prix winner.

Recent years have been spent driving for Toyota in the World Endurance Championship.

No details are available regarding who will drive the car post February 6th.

 

[Ron Sandrin]

I believe, in my humble opinion, that the pressure of filling his father's 'shoes' is unfortunately more than he can handle. Being half French Canadian myself I am aware that reacting impulsive is a familiar trait and focusing on long term goals for the future can be difficult to realize.
I do wish him the very best and hope he can put his talents to good use.

 

[Jake Fangio]

Very good driver with poor judgement.He seems all over the place head wise,still can't get over the wasted years at BAR.He could of won another F1 title with his talent and if he'd gone with the right team.I think maybe the very shocking and public death of his father didn't help,and as said above he had a lot to live up to.It would be nice to see him in F1 now,he's a real character.

 

[gamer19]

Oh ****... thanks for bad news Paul, you make my day !

@Ron Sandrin
lol, "pressure", "filling his father shoes", you gotta be kidding.
Are you aware that he become WORLD CHAMPION of Formula 1 in 1997 year ?!?
Not to mention that he set pole position on his first race, almost won that one - (damn) oil leak forced him to slow down and THEN team mate Damon Hill pass him. he let him pass actually) he also almost become champion in that, his rookie year 1996.
Pardon me but you talk like he's just starting his career right now. So I wonder... maybe you didn't know that. I just want to fill some of your holes there.

But yes... this is 2016 this is not the same guy from 20 years beafore. Hell I ain't too. You are ?

Maybe he should leave racing for good, it's too dangerous job anyway, he should stick with virtual racing. (I know he used to prepare himself for race with some good simulation) Maybe he should try to be team owner, manager or something like that. Haas racing should give him a job, they need their own Nicky Lauda. Just younger.
And it's not like he's got nothing to do with himself, he have whole track for himself:
http://www.area27.ca/

 

[R.J. O'Connell]

Apparently, I was a bit too generous in expecting him to perform the way Trulli did last season.

Hopefully the driver change wont see too many people souring on this season - Conway is a very, VERY talented driver who was a street course mercenary in IndyCar, and that could make him an immediate contender for wins and podiums.

As for JV himself, again, it's downright impossible to understate that from '94-97 he was the most accomplished young driver in motorsport, two-thirds of a way to the triple crown (F1 World Title/Indy 500/Le Mans) before he turned 27...which just makes the last eighteen years of F1 mediocrity, journeyman ventures into other series, and incendiary hot takes when he's not driving even more disappointing in context.

 

[Jake Fangio]

Oh ****... thanks for bad news Paul, you make my day !

@Ron Sandrin
lol, "pressure", "filling his father shoes", you gotta be kidding.
Are you aware that he become WORLD CHAMPION of Formula 1 in 1997 year ?!?
Not to mention that he set pole position on his first race, almost won that one - (damn) oil leak forced him to slow down and THEN team mate Damon Hill pass him. he let him pass actually) he also almost become champion in that, his rookie year 1996.
Pardon me but you talk like he's just starting his career right now. So I wonder... maybe you didn't know that. I just want to fill some of your holes there.

But yes... this is 2016 this is not the same guy from 20 years beafore. Hell I ain't too. You are ?

Maybe he should leave racing for good, it's too dangerous job anyway, he should stick with virtual racing. (I know he used to prepare himself for race with some good simulation) Maybe he should try to be team owner, manager or something like that. Haas racing should give him a job, they need their own Nicky Lauda. Just younger.
And it's not like he's got nothing to do with himself, he have whole track for himself:
http://www.area27.ca/

Yes he won an F1 title,but his dad has mythical status in F1.He can't compete with his dad's status pure and simple.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Oh. Then I still have to wait to see JV compete a whole season again

 

[MiniMadPaul]

Didn't like him. He always thought he was better than he actually was. Only won in 97 because the Williams was the best car. Had Williams kept Damon, Jacques would never have won the championship.

 

[TobiasR]

So much for doing the full season.

 

[4 8 15 16 23 42 108]

Sad to hear this, but since he left Williams, in my opinion he lost his speed somehow. No idea what happened. I have watched him before he entered F1 and it was no surprise to me he did well there.

 

[Rob_]

I used to be a huge Jacques Villeneuve fan and I always wanted him to do well (still do)but he made to many mistakes on and off the track. He said stupid things and pissed off every team he worked with, and he'd even tell you he was lazy. I don't think he had the natural talent his dad had, but few do. Those last couple tenths can't be taught, I think your born with them and I'm not sure he was.

 

[gamer19]

"Rumours that BAR driver Jacques Villeneuve may join McLaren next season were strengthened recently by boss Ron Dennis himself who had countered suggestions that he would never employ anyone as reckless and 'individual' as the outspoken French Canadian.
"This concept that we clone our drivers, that we don't like drivers to paint their hair, wear baggy clothes or occasionally use profanities, is wrong," Dennis said leaving the media in no two minds about whom he was talking. "In any given season, we want the best two drivers who can win races. Other traits are immaterial."

It's from 2000 and it's about Villeneuve and McLaren merging. Loyal type as he is, JV opted to stick with BAR. Unfortunatelly.
Well... he was, surely, good enough for that dude, of whom you maybe heard of, Ron Dennis is his name.
But nevermind Dennis, he's anyway not so demanding and is so easy to please. Right?

He's been loyal to his helmet design also and he never change it's original design.
Unlike Vettel. Or for that matter, all modern drivers. Until 2015 that's it.
JV 1993:

JV 2015:

 

[Deleted member 130869]

JV should pursue leisure drivers and sim racing. Back in 2006 he was underperforming, 10 years later he should not be taking up a competitive spot.

 

[John Addison]

JV just lost his heart for the level of competitiveness needed. He needs to prove nothing to no one. He is Jacques Villeneuve and we are not

 

[JeffL]

Driven successfully at multiple series, I dream of having his horrible career.

 

[Tim Lundy]

Ahhh Jocko, you were always entertaining, sometimes moreso when you were struggling Time to hang it up fella

 

[aka2k]

Last time Jacques did something good on motorsport was in 1997. He's never been competitive ever since.

For some reason, I still like Villeneuve. Maybe it's something with his dad, I dunno. He's loud mouth, brash and arrogant, but he does possess something. Or used to. It was a glimpse of a great driver he had between 1994-1997 first on Forsythe-Green then on Williams. This glimpse faded since 1998. But on his best days, it was very interesting to watch him drive.

 

[Andy 'Mars Bar' Graham]

Jacques needs to retire. He has had a tough career but he has nothing to prove. He's a world champion but he's too old for this. Maybe he could set up his own team and be involved that way in motorsport.

 

[gamer19]

Last time Jacques did something good on motorsport was in 1997. He's never been competitive ever since.

For some reason, I still like Villeneuve. Maybe it's something with his dad, I dunno. He's loud mouth, brash and arrogant, but he does possess something. Or used to. It was a glimpse of a great driver he had between 1994-1997 first on Forsythe-Green then on Williams. This glimpse faded since 1998. But on his best days, it was very interesting to watch him drive.

But many experts agree that he drove some of his best races in 1998, just that Williams wasn't even close to what it's used to be.
I'm a JV fan. Since he left... I wach F1 races without rooting for anyone, somewhat emotionless and even I have to say that to me his career was on constant downfall, year by year. He should just quit racing like I already said and find some other job in motorsport.
At least we'll always got moments like this:

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