who knows ?!?! website still states "Coming Soon" Carol f1 live Jacques Villeneuve is close to securing a contract to return to Formula One with the new USF1 team in 2010, Sport Bild reported Wednesday. The French-Canadian, now 38, last won a Grand Prix in his championship year of 1997 but subsequently drove for BAR, Renault and Sauber/BMW until 2006. Having failed to establish a career in NASCAR, he recently attended some Grand Prix, reportedly buoyed by the reduction in downforce, the return of slick tyres and the opportunities afforded by three new teams. Villeneuve did not refer specifically to USF1 but admitted to the magazine: "It is true, I will return to Formula One." Sport Bild said the official announcement could be made within the next few weeks. The report also said USF1's first Cosworth-powered car will be ready in October, with Aragon (Spain) and Le Castellet (France) at the top of the list to be the team's European base. The cars are being designed and built in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Why would he sign with a team like this? Ie. is there no chance of him getting back into it with an established team?
I've said it before -- it would be good for USF1 if he joins. A new team needs experience. He's well known in the states and he's one of the few "personalities" left in F1. Having a former champion and Indy 500 winner in the team gives it some immediate credibility. He may be past his prime, but what they need is to eliminate the "driver experience" issue and concentrate on the "car performance" issue.
This seems to have been a rumor and nothing more. Facts ruin so many good rumors. It's too bad someone besides the Russians can't figure out how to eliminate facts altogether. Anyway, a possibility has arisen here. How about Rubens and Villeneuve on the same team? They could even both be on USF1, since they are both Americans (one North and one South). After the races they could hit the pubs and do duets about MS.
Team US F1 expects to have its new car ready by the end of October, as it ramps up its efforts to be on the Formula 1 grid next year. Work at the team's Charlotte factory has been pressing on following confirmation of the squad's 2010 entry, and team principal Ken Anderson has revealed that the design of the new car is well advanced. "Quite a lot of it is ready to manufacture," Anderson told AUTOSPORT. "The chassis is locked down, because we were waiting to hear if the [Cosworth] engine rev limit was 20,000rpm or 18,000rpm. "The chaps will now start building the chassis in August. We will have it rolling on the ground in late September, without bodywork or stuff, and then the bodywork will get added in October." Anderson has said that the confirmation of the team's 2010 entry has allowed it to push ahead with the ordering of machinery it needed, which in turn will mean a recruitment drive can now get underway. "We were only approved a few weeks ago and it wasn't prudent to order $5 million of machines until we were there," he said. "We have about 20 staff at the moment, but we have got 20 or 30 starting in August. The thing is we need people to run machines, and there was no point having them until the machines are there." Team US F1 is expected to confirm in the next few weeks that it has secured investment from YouTube co-founder and current chief executive officer Chad Hurley. The outfit is also close to a deal to use the Spanish Aragon track as its European base. "It looks like it," said Anderson. "It is not signed or sealed though. We are evaluating there and Paul Ricard. "The Aragon facility is a fantastic facility, the people there are very nice, very helpful. It is a great place for winter testing, and we would like to have our drivers based there, or at Paul Ricard, and run all the time." Ta Auto sport
I read this earlier too - many questions arise from this story: 1. Didn't Cosworth already say they'd go with the 18k revs last week or prior? and they don't know what's going on today?? 2. Comment - "will be without bodywork or stuff" and this is coming from a participant in the "pinnacle of motorsport"?? absurd....guess we need to start calling improvements on the cars "STUFF", like that new stuff thats on the back of the cars . . . .hey JoeBob put sum or tat dar stuff on tat car will ya so it go fas 3. Want drivers based in Spain or France and run all the time????? who's footing the bill - have I been asleep and just now finding out they can run the cars ALL THE TIME in 2010?? Aragon track is being designed by Hermann Tilke and has used McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa as a consultant. "We know there are testing restrictions now, but we have the long straights. Plus, having a Tilke circuit in Europe, is something that can contribute to our options at Aragon." De la Rosa said he believed the facility would set a new benchmark for motor sport facilities in Europe - trying to beat Portimao?? Carol
That makes sense, and he'll probably get a stake in the team (not that that hasn't been done before!). Jack.
f1 live On Wednesday we reported, based on a story published by Sport Bild, that 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve was on the verge of signing with the USF1 team for a full-time race seat starting next season. A few hours later Villeneuve denied the original German report, stating to Auto123.com: "It is not true at all." "I have not been interviewed by someone from that magazine. The people from the USF1 team have not contacted me," he insisted, adding that he had only spoken briefly to one of the team's directors, Peter Windsor. "Jacques is absolutely correct," Windsor clarified to the same source. "We did chat briefly in Monaco and since then have not had a chance to talk again." USF1 is looking into hiring a pair of American racers next year, but Windsor acknowledged that bringing aboard a driver with previous knowledge of Formula One might also become a factor. "We are considering the possibility of running an experienced driver in 2010," he said. "We will make a decision in due course." Villeneuve is serious about returning to the F1 grid, as the sweeping changes to the regulations which came into effect this year with more to come next season agree with his vision of the sport. In fact, he had often requested many such changes before leaving the scene in 2006. "What I clearly said a few weeks ago was that I am trying to return to Formula One, and that my chances are very slim," the 38-year-old Canadian stated. To Montreal news site RueFrontenac.com, Villeneuve explained: "USF1 is a good option for me because they will be based in North America and I want to continue residing in Montreal. Furthermore, I know the team's sporting director Peter Windsor well and he was a good friend of Gilles'. It's always reassuring to associate with people you've always known." Villeneuve, who is participating in the 24 Hours of Spa this weekend, went on to say he intended to jet between Belgium and Hungary in order to continue discussing his Formula One future with other teams as well. "It's a lot of work racing and negotiating during the same weekend," he admitted. "I want to race as much as I can this year, but most importantly I want a full-time seat next year."
It looks great on paper, however, I did watch his last several seasons in the sport and felt Jacques was as useless and leach like as Ralf Schumacher.
You never know, the guy may surprise, remember that with Slick tires the guy was pretty good, he was the first of the drivers back in 1997 to criticise the Narrow, Groove Tired Cars, and it never worked with his driving style.
this today - f1 live - usf1 team is a friggin joke - hot air windsor slams Jacques as no experience and insults Wurz as a retard - - Jacques Villeneuve has declared himself 'crazy enough' to attempt a Formula One comeback. That was part of the message the 1997 World Champion delivered during a visit to the Hungarian Grand Prix paddock on Friday. Villeneuve is running in Belgium's 24 Hours of Spa this weekend, but is using his free time to travel near Budapest and speak with key team figures as he continues to work on securing a deal for a full-time F1 race seat next season. He was also spotted in conversation with Bernie Ecclestone. "The passion, the desire, the hunger are all there," Villeneuve told AFP. "I am still crazy enough to take Eau Rouge at full speed," he added, referring to the Spa-Francorchamps circuit's famous curve which he will be attacking this week-end, and where the Belgian Grand Prix is also held. After leaving the BMW Sauber team during the 2006 season, the 38-year-old French Canadian said his years away from the Formula One paddock were good to him. "There comes a time where you feel suffocated," he explained in French during the AFP interview. "We do the same thing for years and years, we don't even notice it. And then something is missing. That can take off a tenth or two. There was a negative effect." The former Williams, BAR, Renault and BMW driver reiterated that he is exploring all possibilities with a preference for an established team, but admitted there might be better chances with one of the three new teams launching their F1 endeavours next year. "That is where experience is most necessary," Villeneuve said. "And furthermore, I already helped in building a team, BAR (which became Honda then Brawn). I already know what to do." Rumours pointed at a link with USF1, but both parties have indicated that no talks have actually taken place. FOLLOWED BY THIS > > > >The co-founder of the new Formula One team USF1 has admitted that Alex Wurz is a leading contender for a race seat next year and not former champion Jacques Villeneuve. The big rumour surrounding the Charlotte-based outfit was that the 1997 world champion Villeneuve, who was in the Hungaroring paddock on Friday, was close to signing a deal to return to F1. On Friday, the French Canadian was spotted in conversation with BMW's Mario Theissen, Mercedes' Norbert Haug as well as Bernie Ecclestone. But with USF1 contemplating putting an experienced driver alongside a young American in 2010, team boss Peter Windsor said it is Austrian Wurz who is actually the frontrunner for the former role. "We have spoken to Alex," he said. "Any new team coming into Formula One needs to look at drivers with experience," Windsor told the BBC. "Alex Wurz could perhaps be able to operate at our rate of learning. At the end of his disappointing final season in F1 with Williams in 2007, 35-year-old Wurz said he is retiring as a race driver. Villeneuve however is openly enthusiastic about returning to F1 and adding to his tally of 165 Grand Prix, most recently with BMW Sauber in 2006. But Windsor played down the likelihood of a deal with USF1. "Jacques is a former world champion and he comes in with that persona and that largesse and it could be that for a team that needs to grow at its own organic rate Jacques would come in with his own rate of expectation and they might not match," he said.
True, but those slicks were bolted to a pretty damn good car. As we've learned this year, the quality of the car makes a huge difference and I don't expect USF1GPWhatever to burst their way to the front right out of the gate. I do think Jacques was a top driver when he first arrived in F1, but I think he got lazy and complacent, fed by a diet of mediocre cars and fat contracts. I hardly think that's changed the last few years.
Oh well....now we know. Its all dependent on the car then...even M Winkelhock could win the drivers championship in the right car......not. Why is it that people have such a big problem with understanding that in everything in life....its all about balance and things are very rarely black or white. Situations can't always be regarded in the absolute....thats why F1 people are always talking about "packages". You get the right package going and you have a good shot...and even then you can't account for what fate brings into the equation.
Jacques was involved in a wreck and was out of the Spa 24h earlier today. He was in the Mosler MT900. Carol
Here's the link suggesting that JV is getting closer to returning to F1; http://www.totalf1.com/details/view/325733/Villeneuve_working_on_F1_comeback I hope he does come back and that he drives like he did in his early F1 career.
JV returning with USF1? Well, if that doesn't lend credibility to Windsor's team, I don't know WHAT does?!
