Jacques Villeneuve's thoughts on the IRL

[Jay]

Always good to hear the opinion of someone who's been there, done that...

From the Indy Star:

Jacques Villeneuve, the 1995 Indy 500 winner, wouldn't recommend that Schumacher -- or anyone else -- take a shot at participating in Tony George's IRL.

"That's one series I don't rate (as legitimate)," the former CART champion said. "It's too bad because they have good drivers but they're losing time over there."

Villeneuve said IRL officials have artificially manufactured competition based on its plan to be like NASCAR. The cars are easy to drive, he said, and don't teach the fundamentals of competing in the technically advanced F-1 series.

"It's easy to make the racing close: Take half the horsepower away and create a lot of downforce so it's easy to drive for everybody," Villeneuve said. "It's like CART did at Michigan with the wing (the Hanford device).

"That doesn't make the drivers better, the cars better or the series professional; it's just a better show. It's not the better driver that wins, it's the one that slingshots or is in the best position. You don't have to worry about overtaking."

When reminded that talented drivers such as Gil de Ferran, Helio Castroneves, Sam Hornish Jr. and Al Unser Jr. are IRL regulars and that Michael Andretti, Dario Franchitti and Tony Kanaan are joining the series in 2003, Villeneuve softened his stance.

"Maybe my attitude to the IRL is (too) negative," he said. "But it destroyed open-wheel racing in North America."

[rush1]

I like Villenueve, but didn't Indy 500 and CART champions like himself and Montoya who bolted CART for F1 also help to destroy open-wheelracing in North America?

[Flatspot]

I don't think so. Moving to what is arguably the ultimate goal in auto racing helps to prove the value of and bolster the image of the series they came from.

[macdaddy]

It's the people like Mansell, Villeneuve, Montoya and daMatta who have helped put American racing (CART in particular) on the map, and made people all over the world finally realize that we have something good going on over here.

[rush1]

yeah, they put it on the map and than leave. Real vote of confidence. What a great series. CART has been the minor leagues for F1 since the middle 90's.
That is one thing that I like about the IRL oval racing series. Once CART expires where will all these European and South American drivers hone their skills for F1? Not in North America!

[racer69]

And Villeneuves comments are worth what to the IRL?....has he ever had anything to do with the IRL? or even CART since 1995?

[BootsOntheSide]

Villeneuve comments are worth a lot to fans of real racers. He's speaking the truth, unfortuantely Tony George's money men have too much power for the man on the street to understand this. He's got IRL's number precisely.

Rush1's comments, once again, have showed him to be a petty, footish man with no understanding of what people love about CART, and what people (especially in Europe) think of CART compared to 10 years ago. If you start talking about it, they say 'yeah, the series Montoya first shone in'. Ask about IRL, they say 'that's that thing where they go round and round all day. How boring'

[rush1]

The IRL is boring boots? If you don't like side by side racing and races determined by one ten thousanths of a second than I can understand. Now F1 is a compelling series. Three teams (more like one this year) with a realistic chance of winning a given race and the winner sometimes determined by a one or two stop pit strategy is a real snooze in my book, no matter what technology they use.

[macdaddy]

I believe Boots was explaining the general mindset of race fans in Europe. And he's right.

When I suggested that these drivers who haved swapped to-and-from CART and F1 have helped put American racing on the worldwide map, I did not mean, "yeah, they put it on the map and than leave." It was the fact that they left in the first place, and enjoyed success in F1, that bolstered the image of American racing. It is because of Mansell, JV, JPM and daMan that Europeans are somewhat more interested in CART today than they were ten years ago, and if it weren't for that fact, hardly anybody outside of North America would even know that the IRL even existed. But the IRL shouldn't worry about that, as they want to be "American" anyway.

[Jordi]

rush1, you seem blinded by Tony George... anyway. Worldwide Drivers want to win in everything, not just CART or IRL. I'd prefer to be a F1, CART and IRL champion than a 7 time IRL champion.

[botsquad]

sam hornish is proving to be one of the sports great talents.

he would do well in any series....with the right team...

tony george....is....the american bernie....
smart..ruthless.......and winning the game.

[Jordi]

yeah. winning the game... sure...

[Jay]

Actually, Sam wasn't terribly impressive in Atlantic with a best 7th place finish and was rejcted by every Cart team, and eventually took an IRL seat.

Not saying he isnt good, but let's see how he's do if he had to turn right.

[Jordi]

about Jacques... we knew he was intelligent, and with this opinion of IRL we still know he is intelligent....

[BootsOntheSide]

Nice to see that Rush1 is still incapable of reading a post correctly to understand waht it means.

Jay has possibly nailed a key point there too, Sam is greaat on ovals, but didn't do so well in road course racing,a nd went to the IRL for that reason, because a monkey can win it with the right team. Now that Penske, Ganassi and Mo Nunn have a year's experience, however, they won't be so lucky this time.

[Down F0rce]

if the ppl that call the IRL "invisible" really want it to become just that, then you would think that would stay the hell out of the IRL forum and not ruin it for the ppl that actually do enjoy it. unless ten-tenths is a place for 12 years olds? that would make a lotta sence, with all this childish behaviour n'all.

[Jordi]

Hey Down Force, the series is invisible, not the Ten-Tenths forum.

And this is a post that doesn't really favor the IRL, so we bolt in and post.

[racer69]

If anyone posts negative CART comments in the CART forum they are told to get lost and not post it there, why then does it seem that CART fans can come in here and post anti IRL comments?

[Jordi]

Well, we don't come here and say "Pook has won the war", "the final nail to IRL's coffin" or some other things that I have NOT seen in the IRL forum but I have seen in the CART one.

[Jay]

Hey, it was news and it concerned the IRL... that's why it was posted.

[rush1]

No one would say "Pook has won the war" Because CART has lost team Penske, Greene and soon to be Ganassi. They have also lost Toyota and Honda. In the 1990's they also lost Villenueve and Montoya. Now they look for a buyout from someone who helped destroy them, Mr Ecclestone...
bye bye CART

[Jordi]

I prefer to say bye bye, rush1... At least you rant in the IRL forum this time...

[bulldogspirit]

Originally posted by Jordi
rush1, you seem blinded by Tony George... anyway. Worldwide Drivers want to win in everything, not just CART or IRL. I'd prefer to be a F1, CART and IRL champion than a 7 time IRL champion.

Exactly, you have to expect drivers to move on from their successes. The fact is that F1 is regarded as the pinnacle of world open-wheel motorsport, it would be crazy of a driver to reject the chance to race competitively in it. In the same way that Kenny Brack moved from IRL to CART after winning the title, these are professionals, for them to take on a new challenge seems eminently sensible to me.

IMO Jacques is as entitled to an opinion as anyone, in fact we are all in here discussing and comparing opinions, none of us (i presume!) have driven Indy 500 or suchlike, would u deny Jacques the right to an opinion were he a member of the forum? I presume not.

[trow]

yeah right o mate! thats a good line if I ever heard one! :lol:

flatspot: I don't think so. Moving to what is arguably the ultimate goal in auto racing helps to prove the value of and bolster the image of the series they came from.

[trow]

bootsontheside:Rush1's comments, once again, have showed him to be a petty, footish man with no understanding of what people love about CART, and what people (especially in Europe) think of CART compared to 10 years ago. If you start talking about it, they say 'yeah, the series Montoya first shone in'. Ask about IRL, they say 'that's that thing where they go round and round all day. How boring'

The IRL is a series based on the philosophy that a series and it's competitiveness should not be down to team owners and manufacturers. Unfortunately, the IRL seems to be the only series that actually GET'S IT!

Juan Montoya may be from CART, but his CV got fatter the day he won in Indy!

To address JV I have to say this is absolutely preposterous. JV left North America for what he was supposed to live up to - the greatest pilot in the world. He won it all in '97 but what since? He is a mid-packer to backmarker at best now, and face it, he has no where to go now that CART is on its death bed. He voices his displeasure because he had intended on running CART races as a retirement setting, more so than an aspiration. Good luck JV, and sorry you weren't so lucky!