Congratulations/Jacques Villeneuve's Future... (merged)

[Valve Bounce]

As much as all the Jacques fans would love to see Jacques in a Ferrari or Williams, I think that there are too many good drivers ahead of him on the queue. Williams just found one at Monza called Marc.

[DriverT]

I think the JB/JV combination is a nice one for BAR to have. But possibly it may be the reportedly huge salary that JV is taking in exchange for not great results (whether it's the car or not) that motivates BAR. It would probably be better spent on the car.

I would like to see Jacques in a better team (maybe Jag, even though they should keep Wilson), but there aren't many top seats going, and there is a huge queue of talent in front of JV going for a much cheaper price.

This may be a controversial comment, but I think JV has become an F1 journeyman. The ailment that seems to happen to some great drivers if we take into account Fisichella. I think he has the same chance as Fisichella of resurrecting his F1 career. Just my opinion.

[senna12]

Why do so many folks still assume that money is going to be an issue? I think at this point JV and Craig are under no illusions as to the financial prospects that he can expect, no matter what team he wishes to drive for, and I'm sure they are expecting to be totally low-balled with an embarrassing offer from DR. By waiting until the last minute to do so, Richards has insured that there will be a much smaller driver market for Jacques to fish about in.

Yet, as it has been pointed out, Jacques has kept quiet. His restraint has been admirable.

[Wrex]

Originally posted by senna12
By waiting until the last minute to do so, Richards has insured that there will be a much smaller driver market for Jacques to fish about in.

There is a flip side to that coin senna12, would'nt they have risked having this massively talented driver snapped up by another team? Why were they not worried about that?

[jackyo123]

Originally posted by DriverT
I think the JB/JV combination is a nice one for BAR to have. But possibly it may be the reportedly huge salary that JV is taking in exchange for not great results (whether it's the car or not) that motivates BAR. It would probably be better spent on the car.

Richards had apparently offered JV a contract extension last year in exchange for a paycut this year - JV wouldt take it, a sign of his supreme arrogance. He figured he would blow off Button and everyone would want him.

Truth is, he couldnt even blow off Panis, why would he think he was such a superstar anymore? I think he was beginging to believe his own hype.

Remember his remarks a few months ago, when he said DC was the better driver than Raikonnen, and he kept using the example of how 'Raikonnen is always going off the track.' HAHAHAHAHAHA. What a joke. JV and DC are friends because they each *should* be beating their golden haired teamates, but both are doing very marginable jobs. DC is a joke - why oh why Mclaren are keeping him next year is beyond me. Its time to get a proper driver in there next to raikonnen. Qualifying is too important in modern F1, and DC simply cannot qualify well. How many times this year has he outqualified Raikonnen? 3x? He has 9 years in Mclaren, has Newey as his engineer, and he still *sucks*.

JV should make a pitch to Jordan - having him in the team could conceivably generate some $$$ in sponsorship and interest, and they seem to suit each other - both irreverant and a bit 'fringe.' A one year contract, and then he goes full court press trying to land a renault seat in 05. Thats his best hope.

[Wrex]

From ITV.com

Following the Italian GP Villeneuve admitted that he had received no offers of a drive for 2004, not even from his current team BAR.

Hmmm

[TeddyG]

Originally posted by jackyo123
Richards had apparently offered JV a contract extension last year in exchange for a paycut this year - JV wouldt take it, a sign of his supreme arrogance. He figured he would blow off Button and everyone would want him.

Well let's look at this a little more closely shall we? After 2002 BAR had just come off it's worst season since 1999 (and we all know how bad 99 was). The team was very unstable and JV wanted to keep his options open for 2004 in case BAR failed to deliver this year, which it has in certain respects.

One thing JV expects from people is to be professional, he was not going to change the contract he had already made before because that's what he had agreed to, in order to drive for this team.

DR tried to sucker Jacques into taking less money in return for what? A guarantee that the 2003 BAR would win him races? Sorry JV has been burned too many times to belive any more promises like that (read Honda and BAR of 99, 00, 01, and 02). So ask yourself why would JV want to take less money and commit himself for even more years of frustration if the 2003 car was not much of an improvement?
So he declined that offer and stated he would remain on for another year and see how things went and if he wanted to stay on for 2004 they could re-negotiate then.

It just seems very convienent that DR has just happened to provide Jacques with a much more unreliable car than Button, so that now he holds all the cards in terms of Villeneuve's future, but hey I'm not saying anything

[Mr V]

Originally posted by M Coupe
Afraid not, JV has been quicker than JB 7 times and JB quicker than JV 7 times in qualifying.

I think you'll find that it's actually 7-6 in Jensons favour. Jacques equals Jensons total statistically this season, but thats only because Jensons Monaco hospital bed was a fraction slower than Jacques's BAR

[Wrex]

Good point V-man, and I think those hospital beds are even slower than the Minardi's he was trying to pass at Nurburgring.

[daniel27]

Originally posted by Mr V
I think you'll find that it's actually 7-6 in Jensons favour. Jacques equals Jensons total statistically this season, but thats only because Jensons Monaco hospital bed was a fraction slower than Jacques's BAR

Actually I think you'll find that all official tables have it the other way around. Jenson couldn't qualify on Sunday because HE crashed into a wall. He is responcible for his own actions that lead to placing no time on Saturday. Besides at every single race this year JV has qualified with more fuel so bragging about Jenson in qualy isn't something I'd recommend.

[Glen]

Originally posted by daniel27
Besides at every single race this year JV has qualified with more fuel so bragging about Jenson in qualy isn't something I'd recommend.

That's why Jacques came in on the same lap as Jenson in Oz then. There have been other races where they have the same fuel too - some others have been on heavier fuel, not all of them.

If you want to know about level-playing-field one lap speed look at the Friday times.

[daniel27]

Originally posted by Glen
That's why Jacques came in on the same lap as Jenson in Oz then. There have been other races where they have the same fuel too - some others have been on heavier fuel, not all of them.

If you want to know about level-playing-field one lap speed look at the Friday times.

Jacques came in on the same lap because he couldn't hear communications telling him to pit later. What other races?

Friday times are beyond worthless but lets assume they are important as you seem to suggest. Does it not make JV's saturday qualifying look even better by comparison considering he is disadvantaged by going out earlier than Button?

Just because some driver's bother setting their car up for one qualifying lap during the whole weekend doesn't mean they all bother. JV has said he consistently sets the car up for the race ie Saturday qualifiying not Friday's.

[Glen]

I don't suggest they are important (although they obviously do have some importance) - merely that they are on equal fuel.

There have been several races where both BARs have been on the same first stint length - I don't have time to trawl through the web, but there have all the same.

None of this alters the fact that JV isn't quicker than JB. He just isn't - he isn't worth more money and he doesn't deserve his "number one/the spare car is always mine" status.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Glen

If you want to know about level-playing-field one lap speed look at the Friday times.

10 - 4 in Jensons favour

[Glen]

Originally posted by Mr V
10 - 4 in Jensons favour

That'll be why some people prefer not to look at those!

[senna12]

Jacques has had considerably poorer reliability this season, a certain sign that he is receiving less attention than Jenson, not surprising since he is DR's man, and Richards is trying to push Jacques out.
Rubens is another example of what happens when you get the short stick. Whenever he was given the extra attention, his performance improved, enough for him to thank the team for doing so.
It sure would be nice if JV had a top 4 drive next year. If he drove a car that was consistently able to score points, and then failed to do so, many of you would be much more justified in slagging him off. Since he has basically driven imitation F1 cars at BAR up until this season, and neither him nor Craig were able, due to the ownership structure, to do anything about it, I think for most of Jacques detractors, it's mostly about the money he makes/made. Blame BAT for that, they wanted a World Champion, and were willing to pay for him.
Richards probably figures Jacques as the last vestige of the old regime.

[DavidStHubbins]

If Schuey had had the poor cars JV has put up with over the years he would have produced much much much more results. That guy NEVER gives up. He also doesn't spout his mouth off at his own team etc. Schuey would destroy JV... JV was occasionally very good in the best car, and did do very well in the poor Williams a year after but is now past it. The money he has taken for the past few years has been wasted. BAR are right to get rid of him. He has the choice of staying for a cash/points situation but doesn't want to... HIs greed ruined him. It's no coincidence nobody wants him for next year.

[senna12]

Originally posted by DavidStHubbins
If Schuey had had the poor cars JV has put up with over the years he would have produced much much much more results. That guy NEVER gives up.

I respect your opinion, but that is pure conjecture. I also don't believe Jacques is noted as the type of person who gives up. If he were, he would not be a multple champion. Nor would he be Gilles' son.

He also doesn't spout his mouth off at his own team etc.

Oh, I bet he does. He just has the good sense to do it behind closed doors.

[Yoong Montoya]

I think Villeneuve's heart isn't in it anymore. He's at the same stage Mansell was at in 1995, or Hill in 1999, or Hakkinen in 2001. All of these drivers had worse reliability than their teammates, lost their motivation and pulled out of racing. Mansell and Hill both ended their careers by parking healthy cars in the pits because they weren't in the running for the points. But Hakkinen ended on a high with his win in Indianapolis, and for Villeneuve's sake I hope he has a good performance to end his career. He may not be as good as MS, but who is apart from Senna and Prost?

[CobraSVT]

You guys wanna nkow why I think Villeneuve is better then Shumacher?
Cause Jacques puts on a better show. Shumacher is the same old thing everyday that people are bored of.
Villeneuve is also way more agressive on the wheel and is not scared of racing.
Shumacher is NOT agressive and HE DID say in an interview that when he's behind others he doesn't like passing them. Villeneuve has no problem with that, because he's a true racer.

Just like in Champ Car, Paul Tracy is very agressive at the wheel. Who always wins? Paul Tracy. Thank you.

In F1, the cars are not all equal like in Champ Car
so Shumacher drives his annoying Ferrari.

Inverse roles... Shumacher in a Honda and Villeneuve in a Ferrari
Who do you think would win all the time?

I bet you that if Villeneuve was in a Ferrari WITH Shumacher, that Villeneuve would beat him all the time.

Why do people like Villeneuve.. cause it's a name that everyone knows and loves.
Be it Gilles Villeneuve or Jacques Villeneuve.
Both excellent racers.

[ViperACR]

I have posted before about Villeneuve being overrated. If i was at BAR why would I pay a guy who loses all the time the enormous money nhe has been getting for so long when I can get some rookie and pay him a few hundred thousand dollars and get the same results. If a acr will be in last place then pay someone cheaper to be in last place. I am not saying that Villenueve is finished but BAR should dump him now and save some money.

[senna12]

Originally posted by ViperACR
I am not saying that Villenueve is finished but BAR should dump him now and save some money.

The point is that they could keep him, and save some money. He knows the next deal would be performance based. Money is not the freakin' issue. What's done is done.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by CobraSVT


I bet you that if Villeneuve was in a Ferrari WITH Shumacher, that Villeneuve would beat him all the time.

Bet you he wouldn't! Following your logic, if jenson was team-mate to Michael, Michael wouldn't see Jenson for dust

[Glen]

Originally posted by CobraSVT
I bet you that if Villeneuve was in a Ferrari WITH Shumacher, that Villeneuve would beat him all the time.

This is fantastic news - this means that Jenson Button would cream Schumacher in equal equipment. On the other hand it could be cobblers.

[kdr]

Originally posted by CobraSVT
I bet you that if Villeneuve was in a Ferrari WITH Shumacher, that Villeneuve would beat him all the time.

only if ferrari build a two-seater and jacques sits in the front..