42 replies to this topic

[Speed Racer 99]

http://www.crash.net...9-0/villeneuve_`never_given_up_hope`_of_f1_return.html

I've always been one of JV's strongest supporters but enough is enough. It is over.

[potmotr]

Great driver on his day, but that day was more than a decade ago.
JV is way too old now.

[MaxScelerate]

He was asked if, with new regulations (most importantly slick tyres - remember the dissing threaded tyres and subsequent meeting with the FIA in Paris two days before Montreal GP in 1997?) he'd like to return.

Said he does.

Wow! Scoop!

[Josta]

Originally posted by Speed Racer 99
http://www.crash.net...9-0/villeneuve_`never_given_up_hope`_of_f1_return.html

I've always been one of JV's strongest supporters but enough is enough. It is over.

Journalist asks JV if he was offered another F1 spot would he take it. JV says yes. Report says he is hankering over another F1 drive. JV is a racer, and he has said that he wants to race in NASCAR, F1, and Le Mans. This doesn't mean he is positioning himself for a drive, just that he was asked a question and he answered. Sort of like someone asking me "would you like to win the lottery?" I say yes, headling "Josta hankering over lottery win".

[Risil]

If this new American B team Honda want to set up is going to go ahead, Villeneuve might be the next best thing to a US driver, what with Speed being not very fast and happily ensconced in stock car racing now. Him and Marco could be an intriguing combination, although there might be a few questions as to their outright pace and suitability...

[BMW_F1]

Originally posted by Risil
If this new American B team Honda want to set up is going to go ahead, Villeneuve might be the next best thing to a US driver, what with Speed being not very fast and happily ensconced in stock car racing now. Him and Marco could be an intriguing combination, although there might be a few questions as to their outright pace and suitability...

as an FYI Speed has already won a race and finished in the top 5 a few times in the same NASCAR truck JV competed in.
SPEED and AJ would be the way to go for a future US F1 team. JV should be in NASCAR IMO..

[Slatz]

I'm sure he would like to return. There is 0 possibilty of it happening though. There is lots of young talent on the grid now.

[Josta]

Originally posted by Slatz
I'm sure he would like to return. There is 0 possibilty of it happening though. There is lots of young talent on the grid now.

Actually, given the STR situation, he could come back any time he wanted. Villeneuve is the second highest career earner behind MS. He could buy the 50% of STR and put himself in the seat with no problem.

[Risil]

Originally posted by BMW_F1


as an FYI Speed has already won a race and finished in the top 5 a few times in the same NASCAR truck JV competed in.
SPEED and AJ would be the way to go for a future US F1 team. JV should be in NASCAR IMO..

I don't know about AJ... He's been a disaster in NASCAR, to be honest, and with the level of talent at the beck and call of an F1 team owner, Honda US can afford to be very selective, even picky, even capricious, over the drivers they choose. And AJ, at the moment, has an aura of failure about him. The fact that he didn't exactly blow away Justin Wilson (another driver who perhaps unfairly exudes this aura) when they were teammates doesn't help matters either. Although an AJ coming over from America to F1 is long overdue, of course...;)

If Honda is serious about F1 in America, IMO they should plough money into a 'Formula Honda' (not IRL, lol) or something, and promote it as a viable alternative for young drivers to the stock car ladder. They might not see any serious results for 10-15 years, and it might take a substantial amount of organisation, money, and effort, but that's the only way that America can hope to match the open-wheel 'finished products' that Europe and South America can offer. But then this approach is typical of the top-down, PR-centric way Honda of late have had of doing things.

[BMW_F1]

Originally posted by Risil


I don't know about AJ... He's been a disaster in NASCAR, to be honest, and with the level of talent at the beck and call of an F1 team owner, Honda US can afford to be very selective, even picky, even capricious, over the drivers they choose. And AJ, at the moment, has an aura of failure about him. The fact that he didn't exactly blow away Justin Wilson (another driver who perhaps unfairly exudes this aura) when they were teammates doesn't help matters either. Although an AJ coming over from America to F1 is long overdue, of course...;)

If Honda is serious about F1 in America, IMO they should plough money into a 'Formula Honda' (not IRL, lol) or something, and promote it as a viable alternative for young drivers to the stock car ladder. They might not see any serious results for 10-15 years, and it might take a substantial amount of organisation, money, and effort, but that's the only way that America can hope to match the open-wheel 'finished products' that Europe and South America can offer. But then this approach is typical of the top-down, PR-centric way Honda of late have had of doing things.

I am not sure I share your view on A.J. NASCAR (CUP series) is not an easy adjustment.. Just because it worked for JPM it does not mean every other open-wheel driver would follow suit, the truth is Dario, Carpantier have been no where.. IMO, AJ has tremendous OW talent, he is a very good racer - with Red Bull last year the team was crap, and this year they've been better and slowly he looks like he is picking up the pace..

[Spunout]

Originally posted by Risil


If Honda is serious about F1 in America, IMO they should plough money into a 'Formula Honda' (not IRL, lol) or something, and promote it as a viable alternative for young drivers to the stock car ladder. They might not see any serious results for 10-15 years, and it might take a substantial amount of organisation, money, and effort, but that's the only way that America can hope to match the open-wheel 'finished products' that Europe and South America can offer. But then this approach is typical of the top-down, PR-centric way Honda of late have had of doing things.

Sounds like one tough plan to me

The fact is American racers grow up with Jr posters on their bedroom walls. Sure, F1 is known and recognized by youngsters and Cup vets alike, but there are more issues. Even in best scenario, Formula Honda can work as stepping stone to GP2...or less. You´d also need WORLD CLASS karting championships preceeding the new series. The whole ladder, if you will. If you only have American participants, FHonda will never be rated as high as international series like GP2, F3000 or F3.

And then you have NASCAR. They have 43 seats instead of 22, and far smaller talent pool than F1. Not to mention Busch and Trucks. More options, no getting kicked out for one mediocre season. You´re actually treated well and given time to learn the ropes. For F1 hopefuls it´s one of 22 seats or nothing. Great prospect on monday, waste on sunday.

I can see Honda playing to NASCAR´s hands.

"Boy, you have two choices. Secured career in NASCAR, with Busch/Trucks/ARCA schedule with us...or longshot for F1, and obscurity if you fail. So how about it? You really want to try your luck in Euroland?"

Think about this : 10 years of hard work. Then, new FHonda champ either gets cold shouder from F1/GP2, or gets picked up by NASCAR. Hell, by Toyota! All the money and effort gone to the wind, basically...

I really cannot see Honda going for this one. Sorry!

[pingu666]

if they wanted to boost there american sales via racing, then should join nascar...

[Spunout]

Originally posted by pingu666
if they wanted to boost there american sales via racing, then should join nascar...

Bingo. F1 will never be huge in the US, for countless reasons. There are two rules:

1) Due to isolated location/culture/whatever, Americans watch American sports

2) Sometimes Americans watch international sports, but only if Americans win

Even if Will Winner Jr wins the F1 title, you still have

- no more than 1-2 GPs on American soil
- furriner teams
- bad TV times
- and so on

[Mauseri]

Originally posted by Josta
Actually, given the STR situation, he could come back any time he wanted. Villeneuve is the second highest career earner behind MS. He could buy the 50% of STR and put himself in the seat with no problem.

Why would he buy himself a seat? Maybe he doesnt believe in succeeding again...

[Risil]

Originally posted by Spunout


The fact is American racers grow up with Jr posters on their bedroom walls. Sure, F1 is known and recognized by youngsters and Cup vets alike, but there are more issues. Even in best scenario, Formula Honda can work as stepping stone to GP2...or less. You´d also need WORLD CLASS karting championships preceeding the new series. The whole ladder, if you will. If you only have American participants, FHonda will never be rated as high as international series like GP2, F3000 or F3.

Exactly. What America lacks, instead of a GP2-equivalent, of which the Indy Lights series does a fine job, is the myriad smaller racing 'leagues' that scout for and prepare talent to be hoovered up into the big time. The European model, which IMO works very well at preparing young drivers for F1, regardless of its effect on national-level racing, consists of Karts, FBMW/Renault/FFord (less so now but still), F3 et cetera. Look at any successful driver in F1 these days, they have these series on their CV as if it they were categories on a checklist, which in truth they probably were. There is simply no equivalent for open-wheel road course racing in America, never has been.

IMO this was why any top-level series in this category in America is doomed to failure - home-grown American open-wheel racers are simply unprepared compared to European-trained drivers. Even North American drivers like Villeneuve or Tracy had to receive their basic open-wheel training outside of America - IIRC Villeneuve in Italian F3 and Tracy in Britain. To his credit, upon his formation of the Indy Racing League Tony George recognised this problem, and his plan upon the Split was exactly that - a league consisting of various smaller open-wheel categories, especially midgets and sprints, designed to feed into his oval-centric, low-tech top division. American open-wheel racing still needs a similar overhaul, but instead of feeding an ill-conceived, nostalgic anachronism of a series, it will have to prepare drivers in a European style, both for the increasingly 'European', roadie IRL, and for F1 which still has to be the ultimate goal for these drivers.

This will of course be enormously expensive, and difficult to construct, but if Honda is serious about creating a market for American drivers, let alone the public, in F1-style racing, that is the kind of direction they will have to pursue. Simply picking up a driver from Europe who happens to have an American passport, e.g. Scott Speed, will not promote anything. A crossover success will have to be an IRL winner who is already a household name in America, sort of a reverse-Mansell, who has the technical ability and roadie nous to succeed in F1, and the conviction that F1 is the ultimate goal and worth sacrificing everything for (something Michael Andretti lacked, IMO, and he probably came closer than any bona fide American to cracking F1 since his father). The latter two attributes can only be fostered through a European style, full-works 'F1 ladder', the former will just require enough talent and backing. At best, Honda's current plan will only ensure the first of these criteria - the most likely candidate, Marco Andretti, doesn't seem to be committed enough to drive even GP2, and I doubt that he'd be able to walk in even there and show the various 'European' kart, FRenault and F3 champions how it's done.

I really doubt Honda care that much about the welfare of US racing to go into that level of detail, hell, they're doing enough as it is by supplying the whole Indycar series, but unless someone does it, drivers are still going to turn to NASCAR, or become IRL also-rans.

[giacomo]

Originally posted by Josta

Actually, given the STR situation, he could come back any time he wanted. Villeneuve is the second highest career earner behind MS. He could buy the 50% of STR and put himself in the seat with no problem.

Yes, that would be pretty impressive. Buying a team in order to get himself a drive.

[Risil]

Originally posted by giacomo
Yes, that would be pretty impressive. Buying a team in order to get himself a drive.

Yeah. Kinda the reverse of what he did in 1999; buying a team to remove himself from the competition.

[Spunout]

Risil, good post

Indeed, you need the entire ladder. Nothing less will do.

I really doubt Honda care that much about the welfare of US racing to go into that level of detail

True. Honda cares about one thing and one thing only: selling lotsa cars. That´s their job

[SeanValen]

He lived his career backwards, how far backwards is there to go now...

[pacwest]

I'm the same age, karted a bit and would FILL his race suit twice over. I'll take an F1 ride any day.

Please, go back to bashing Lewis, JV bashing is so old school.

[BMW_F1]

Nice video..
http://youtube.com/w...feature=related

[xype]

Originally posted by micra_k10
Why would he buy himself a seat? Maybe he doesnt believe in succeeding again...

The thing is, the only "bought seat" that would make any sense what so ever in F1 is a Ferrari, BMW or McLaren one - and these are not for sale. Anything else and he could _at best_ get a respectable result with a "that was a good drive" in one or two races, no matter how good a performance he'd be putting in race after race.

If one of the young guys manages a good race in a mid-field car there's a "ZOMG Next Schuey!" reaction, but if one of the seasoned drivers puts one it's a "Was about freckin time he stopped sucking that bad".

If anything, Villeneuve would probably want to have a try at it just out of curiosity. But I doubt he's actively pursueing a drive in F1 and is off to do other things (I actually found his Le Mans drive good), which is a good thing.

[Hacklerf]

I still feel Villeneuve was robbed by BMW being dropped mid way through the year, when he was having decent results. He would be super quick in F1 car with 2009 rules. I would love to see him drive F1 again

[MikeTekRacing]

Originally posted by Hacklerf
I still feel Villeneuve was robbed by BMW being dropped mid way through the year, when he was having decent results. He would be super quick in F1 car with 2009 rules. I would love to see him drive F1 again

how do you know he will be super quick? what did he do to impress lately? bmw did not rob him of anything. they put kubica behind the wheel and guess what, it looks the right decision.
he had a lot of speed in him, but somehow he is an example of losing it all.

[Hacklerf]

Originally posted by MikeTekRacing

how do you know he will be super quick? what did he do to impress lately? bmw did not rob him of anything. they put kubica behind the wheel and guess what, it looks the right decision.
he had a lot of speed in him, but somehow he is an example of losing it all.

Yes but look at Kubica last year, maybe it wasn't the right decision at the time

[Owen]

It is S-o-o-o-o over.

[MikeTekRacing]

Originally posted by Hacklerf


Yes but look at Kubica last year, maybe it wasn't the right decision at the time

why? kubica had some misfortunes, but he never really looked slow.
villeneuve though looked terrible after his comeback, being way too slow for his record. he never convinced me "he still has it".

[pingu666]

nick didnt think it was the right thing todo, or that robert was any quicker.... bmw wanted rid of jaques, by any means necessary

[Hacklerf]

Originally posted by pingu666
nick didnt think it was the right thing todo, or that robert was any quicker.... bmw wanted rid of jaques, by any means necessary

exactly, they inherited him from Sauber and didnt want anything to do with him

[Mat Rempit]

JV is one of the worst and lowly skilled champion ever, ...with the current grid of star drivers,...the last thing anyone need is a driver like JV on the track...

What a hypocrite,..who earlier said that "he would leave F1 when he do not enjoy it anymore"....

[MikeTekRacing]

Originally posted by pingu666
nick didnt think it was the right thing todo, or that robert was any quicker.... bmw wanted rid of jaques, by any means necessary

well nick was proved wrong and mario right

[Frogman]

Originally posted by Mat Rempit
JV is one of the worst and lowly skilled champion ever, ...with the current grid of star drivers,...the last thing anyone need is a driver like JV on the track...

There always has to be one champion who's going to be the least skilled of the lot, still means he's probably more skilled than 99.99% of the non-champions. That includes the current crop of alleged 'star drivers', of which all but two still have to prove that they can ever be WDC.

[molive]

Jv is past his prime, long time ago. If he came back people would judge Nelsinho Piquet performances in a whole different way.;)

[Josta]

Originally posted by molive
Jv is past his prime, long time ago. If he came back people would judge Nelsinho Piquet performances in a whole different way.;)

In 2006, Villeneuve outqualified Heidfeld 7 /5

Kubica outqualified Heidfeld once in 6 races.

In 2007, Heidfeld outqualified Kubica 11/5.

[Garagiste]

Hey, I've never given up hope of winning the lottery or having a wriggle with Kylie.
Not likley to happen either, but we can all hope and dream.

[BMW_F1]

IMO, JV did a comeback in 2006.. He was strong.. Would he had been better than Kubica for the second half of the season? probably since the latter was a rookie. Would he be better than Kubica now? I doubt it..

[Hacklerf]

Originally posted by molive
Jv is past his prime, long time ago. If he came back people would judge Nelsinho Piquet performances in a whole different way.;)

Id like to see JV in the Renault next year, that would be funny vs Piquet

[Imperial]

"I would love to get back to work" does not sound remotely like anything realistic that would come out of JV's mouth in relation to F1.

All of those "quotes" smack of ****ing piss-weak translation.

I would bet my last £10 that JV did not say anything remotely like how that has been presented in English.

Another bullshit piece of "journalism".

Ignore and get on with your life.

[pacwest]

Originally posted by Mat Rempit
JV is one of the worst and lowly skilled champion ever,

I personally feel anyone that became champion while Schumacher was post Jordan REALLY earned it.

[kamix]

Originally posted by BMW_F1
IMO, JV did a comeback in 2006.. He was strong.. Would he had been better than Kubica for the second half of the season? probably since the latter was a rookie. Would he be better than Kubica now? I doubt it..

Agreed. I would have liked to see him finish the year and then get the chop.

[DaleCooper]

I feel that somehow Jacques is much more affected by the car he drives and the tyres and rules than many other drivers. He was absolutely scintillating on slicks in the '90s and never recaptured that form with grooved tyres. 2009 could be his chance at showing off that ability again, though I don't think he will get the chance. He is too much of an individualist for today's F1 (unless of course you are deemed to have the talent which makes that point irrelevant), and has stepped on a few toes (more likely not kissed enough of them).
Still, a team like Renault could take a chance on him if Alonso goes elsewhere, but only if he prices himself as a rookie prospect (sadly that's probably what it would take now).


Cooper

[pingu666]

jaques has a impressive CV tbh, but he would be a stop gap driver for a team, as hes 37 now...

[MikeTekRacing]

Originally posted by DaleCooper
I feel that somehow Jacques is much more affected by the car he drives and the tyres and rules than many other drivers. He was absolutely scintillating on slicks in the '90s and never recaptured that form with grooved tyres. 2009 could be his chance at showing off that ability again, though I don't think he will get the chance. He is too much of an individualist for today's F1 (unless of course you are deemed to have the talent which makes that point irrelevant), and has stepped on a few toes (more likely not kissed enough of them).
Still, a team like Renault could take a chance on him if Alonso goes elsewhere, but only if he prices himself as a rookie prospect (sadly that's probably what it would take now).


Cooper

he had a shot in renault and was nowhere in pace. ok, it was after his big break, but I doubt that if you put MS now in a car he will be so much off Alonso's pace as Jacques was.
you say he was brilliant on slicks and not on grooved. maybe he was brilliant in a williams and should have won the title somehow easier.
he hasn't quite set the world on fire in NASCAR or LeMans either...
I doubt he would be worth a chance in a decent F1 team today. There are a lot of good drivers, and also a lot younger