Villeneuve to Williams for '05???? | FerrariChat

Villeneuve to Williams for '05????

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by kizdan, Apr 29, 2004.

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  1. kizdan

    kizdan F1 Veteran

    Dec 31, 2003
    5,505
  2. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Sounds to me more like a ploy by Williams to win the upper hand in the $$$ negotiations with Ralf. Similar to the ploy Weber pulled when announcing that Ralf would be driving for Renault.
     
  3. FLATOUTRACING

    FLATOUTRACING F1 Rookie

    Aug 20, 2001
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    Dan,

    I know based on some of your post that you think quite highly of JV. I won't go into one of my rants on JV. I did however at one time think quite highly of him when he was in CART and when he first entered F1.

    Despite my low opinion of him, I too would like to see him back in F1. Why? We can finally determine who is right, those who say he is championship material, or those who think, like Damon Hill, he just had a great car.

    A season with Williams would solve that debate if they had a decent car. My only other hope is that Williams sign Scott Dixon as a team mate to provide some interesting competition.

    If they sign jungle boy (Pizzonia) then JV can drive blindfolded and still claim he has what it takes ot win.

    Will be interesting to see what happens.

    Ralph's gone. Forever banished to some mid level team like Toyota or Jordan.

    Regards,

    Jon P. Kofod
    www.flatoutracing.net
     
  4. FLATOUTRACING

    FLATOUTRACING F1 Rookie

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    Andreas,

    I think Ralph's gone. He hasn't done anything this season worth mentioning, except maybe his foray into the grass at 150 coming out of Tosa.

    I really think FW will boot him at this stage. He doesn't like to overpay and I don't think Ralph really cares about the title since he knows he isn't going to win one and is more concerned with money.

    I used to be a fan of his and had hoped he would become a title contended but now he just seems like a whiny baby who want his money.

    Webber in a Willaims......NOW THAT WOULD ADD TO THE SHOW!!!

    Regards,

    Jon

    PS: Andreas, try to pick up a copy of the current "Autosport Magazine" with Prost's interview on Senna (see PSK's post on this forum).
     
  5. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    You might be right, that the negotiations are all but over and Mr. 20% just doesn't want to admit that. Good chance Ralf will end up at Toyota. Would actually be a good fit, mediocrity meets mediocrity.

    I have seen the Senna thread. And read similar stories from Prost before. Once Prost retired, he actually became closer to Senna than when they fought each other. And there was a somber mood surrounding the Imola weekend, even before the first accident.
     
  6. FLATOUTRACING

    FLATOUTRACING F1 Rookie

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    Andreas,

    If you can't get hold of the issue let me know I can fax you a photocopy of the article. Many interesting things in the interview.

    Regards,

    Jon
     
  7. kizdan

    kizdan F1 Veteran

    Dec 31, 2003
    5,505

    To begin with, I am born and raised in Montreal, so JV is a homeboy to me.

    Secondly, JV is the type of driver who is absolutely fearless, and will do whatever it takes to beat his teammate. I think he lost his edge his last couple of years simply because of a non-competitive car. I think if he went to Williams, and the car was competitive, that is all it would take to reignite him. Let's hope we get to see that!
     
  8. WCH

    WCH F1 Veteran
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    Mar 16, 2003
    5,180
    I'm a huge JV fan, despite his many faults. [I'm a JPM fan, too, though I found his recent post race remarks pathetic.] I don't require my drivers to be obsequious lobotomy cases.

    That said, why hire JV? Does he bring money? Does he bring anything other than experience? Is Williams desperate for an experienced hand, and the others all are under contract? Seems to me JV's moment has come and gone.
     
  9. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Thank you! Always thought I'm the only one who gets bored in the press conferences.
     
  10. castex

    castex Karting

    Nov 1, 2003
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    Yes please! Let's have Hakkinen back in the seat next to him, too:D
     
  11. Anthony_Ferrari

    Anthony_Ferrari Formula 3

    Nov 3, 2003
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    Dave Richards of BAR has commented. "I'd be very surprised if Jacques cared less," he said of the rumour, according to Reuters. "I doubt if he's even watching it on television. He's that sort of character.

    "He lives his own life," he added, "and I don't suppose he has any interest in F1 whatsoever."

    Dave is hardly JV's number 1 fan though!
     
  12. bobafett

    bobafett F1 Veteran

    Sep 28, 2002
    9,193
    Why would any team waste precious time and money dealing with JV? Williams has something going on now, even with RS. It would be detrimental (and hugely costly, given JV) to use a car with his name on it.

    It's not like he's driving for the love of it either. If he drove w/o payment, I would be very impressed, but then, this is JV.

    --Dan
     
  13. tfazio

    tfazio Formula 3
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    Apr 20, 2004
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    Michigan
    I would love to see him in a competitive car again. I think by not having a ride this year hurts his value for the future. I really think JV is done. I hope he doesn't decide to race in IRL or Champ cars just to race which he has never suggested doing to my knowledge. I think he should stay retired unless he can get a competitive drive in F1. He won a Formula 1 championship and he should be content with that. I really think JV has tons of talent. It is too bad he didn't get to keep his drive with BAR this year. It would have been interesting to see if he would have been able to keep up with Button. Does anyone know if BAR offered JV a contract at a much lower salary for this year?
     
  14. FLATOUTRACING

    FLATOUTRACING F1 Rookie

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    Well he couldn't keep up last year with Button so I doubt he would be doing it this year.

    Button outqualified JV last year by nearly 2/10's of a second over average (source: F1 Atlas) and scored nearly three times as many points (17 vs. 6, but JV didn't do the last race at Suzuka).

    JV said at the beginning of 2003 that if he couldn't outqualify his "weak" team mate he'd be out of F1. He got that right didn't he?

    Regards,

    Jon
     
  15. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
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    bring it on ! that would be great! whatever u think of jv, you have to admit that it would be better to see him out there than pantano, klien, sato, heidfeld, baumgartner, etcetc
    bring on hakkinen too ! hell give mario andretti a drive before you hand the wheel over to yet another one of the pay drivers who just suck and create mobile chicanes every race.

    and my bet is that both of them would probably drive for free !

    anyway i hope it happens because i wrote them both emails earlier this year suggesting they do exactly this. pretty sure they had the idea before i wrote them, and they probably never even read anything from me, but it would make me feel good to think they had !
     
  16. Maximo_Tifoso

    Maximo_Tifoso Karting

    Jan 8, 2004
    223
    Houston TX
    So lets get it straight,,,,Williams is replacing two cry babies for one???
     
  17. FLATOUTRACING

    FLATOUTRACING F1 Rookie

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    Do the math!!

    1JV = 1 JPM + 1 RS (sorry guys I couldn't resist)

    Regards,

    Jon
     
  18. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
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    you may consider jv a crybaby, but at least he is a crybaby that williams has won a wc with, against one m.schumacher. if i were frank, i'd b all over this like a rash.

    and give irvine a call while you're at it !!!
     
  19. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Button already has JPM's seat at Williams.

    So do you guys really think JV would want Ralf's and look stupid again against Button, this time in a competitive car?

    Hell no. It is only a trick by Sir Frank to get the price for Ralf way down. Which will probably fail and then the seat is vacant. But not for JV.
     
  20. Maximo_Tifoso

    Maximo_Tifoso Karting

    Jan 8, 2004
    223
    Houston TX
    Yes JV was WDC 7 years ago, but Williams was in far better shape than they are now. Do you think that JV has the ability to unite that team? What do you think will happen to his moral when the BAR Hondas beat him on a regular basis?
     
  21. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
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    u guys are all hypothesizing the worst case scenarios.

    first off, button can only get out of his bar contract if bar is 6th or lower in the standings in october - given their current form, i very much doubt that is possible. frank could buy out the contract but then you quickly get back to a ralf type of price so (cheap) frank won't go for that yet.

    secondly, you are forgetting that the williams is actually a very good car. look at the differences in qualifying times: jpm is consistently 3-4 on the grid and somewhere between .03 and .6 of a second behind ferrari. (you have to admit that ferrari is on another level this year anyway, so what i am talking about is kind of a 'best of the rest' comparison). i think jv drives better than ralf. whether he drives better than jpm is up for debate. but since williams' choice is ralf or somebody else, then why wouldn't they consider a known driver, who is quicker and cheaper?

    thirdly, think about sponsorship money. if you want to replace ralf with somebody faster and cheaper, you also have to think about those little decals on the side, and there is a lot more available for a former wc than for somebody like dixon. labatts, air cda etc.

    the only other guy who would be a really good choice for williams on all counts would be wurz. (and he's germanic (austrian i know but like berger ))
     
  22. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

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    I wouldn't let Wurz drive a golf ball.
     
  23. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Interesting.

    Now, who is in charge of the development and testing of the new Mc Laren? Ah, yes, Wurz.

    And how are the Mc Laren's doing currently? Ah, yes, pretty bad.

    Hmmm.
    Q.E.D.
    :)
     
  24. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
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    well wurz doesn't build the engines and that is where they really have their problems.
    wurz was also the test driver last year when they came pretty close to taking the prize from ferrari - lest we forget so quickly.....

    an while we're reviewing test drivers...williams' own marc gene is pretty highly rated himself, so that would be another cheap option for williams' second driver to pair up with jv
     
  25. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    You're quite right of course. I wasn't that serious. And what makes a good test driver is not necessarily the same that makes a good racing driver, as seen in Damon Hill. Plus all drivers are test drivers anyway. With DC continuing his tests on the race weekend...
    :)
     

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