Has no one else really made this prediction? | FerrariChat

Has no one else really made this prediction?

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by NoJo, Sep 29, 2004.

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  1. NoJo

    NoJo Karting

    Aug 15, 2004
    191
    Jerusalem
    Full Name:
    Noah Joseph
    Here are the facts:

    Former world champion (and Canadian hero) Jacques Villeneuve has returned to Formula One. He's signed for two seasons with Sauber-Petronas, a private team with whom Ferrari has very close ties. (Ferrari builds engines for them, this year that made their gearboxes, Jean Todt's son manages Filipe Massa, a Sauber driver who last year was Ferrari's third driver...the list goes on.)

    Ferrari's star driver, seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, is on contract for another two seasons. And if I'm not mistaken, the same goes for their second driver, Rubens Barrichelo.

    Therefore, Villeneuve's contract with Sauber will be done at the same time as Ferrari will be needing a new pilot or two.

    Villeneuve's father, the famed Gilles Villeneuve raced for Ferrari, and died while doing it.


    Now here's what I'm thinking:

    If Jacques Villeneuve does well for Sauber over the next two years -- that is, better than he did for BAR, Arrows before them, and so far with Renault -- then he could easily move up from Sauber to Ferrari.

    Imagine that. Villeneuve, jr. racing for his daddy's team. The publicity value alone is too much to miss.

    Granted, Jacques is going to have to do a lot better to deserve a seat at Ferrari. But he's a naturally talented driver who has both the Formula One and CART championships under his belt.

    Mark my words and remember this day. If Villeneuve does well over the next two seasons, he'll be Ferrari's next driver.

    Any thoughts?
     
  2. callaides

    callaides Formula Junior

    Mar 10, 2004
    815
    Detroit, MI
    He won't be the first drive... at least not while Raikonnen is alive
     
  3. SrfCity

    SrfCity F1 World Champ

    The question still remains, is he washed up? Only time will tell.
     
  4. F1racer

    F1racer F1 Rookie

    Oct 5, 2003
    4,749
    Laval
    Full Name:
    Jean
    It could happen and I hope he does. :) Seing JV driving Gilles F1 Ferrari this past summer at Goodwood was very special to me.
    Now I want to see him driving a modern Ferrari to fight for the championship. :)

    I hope he does well at Sauber because there's many drivers that could get a Ferrari seat. Fisichella could get a Ferrari drive(he has 2 a year contract with Renault and imagine if he does well)
    and also... Raikkonen, Alonso, Massa and Liuzzi.
     
  5. Gilles27

    Gilles27 F1 World Champ

    Mar 16, 2002
    13,337
    Ex-Urbia
    Full Name:
    Jack
    Obviously I have a strong affinity for the name Villeneuve, but I don't seriously think that Ferrari really sees him as much more than an experienced past-champion, regardless of who his dad was. Jacques is as different a person and driver than his dad was as Ferrari now is different from Ferrari then. If, in two years, Jacques is the best possible driver to sign, then they will go after him. What they WON'T do is sign him for mere surname-nostalgia purposes.
     
  6. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    49,601
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    Looking at his poor performance in the Renault I would say his time is over.

    But then again I was very disappointed with Fisico at the beginning of this year too and during the season he became a star at Sauber.

    So I'll give JV the benefit of the doubt. If nothing else it will put the Sauber more into the spotlight with his name on the side. That by itself is helpful for the team to find sponsors.

    Other than that I go with the general sentiment here: Raikkoenen in the Ferrari in the post Schumacher era. Maybe with Liuzzi or some other hot shot. If I had to make a prediction, I would pick Davidson. Of all the rookies this year, he impressed me the most by constantly being at the top on Friday. It can't be just the amount of fuel etc.
     
  7. moretti

    moretti Five Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Nov 1, 2003
    59,757
    Australia
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    John
    you're all forgetting MS hates his guts and as long as Schumi has anything to do with Ferrari then JV will NEVER drive for them , and if he did and anything went wrong it would be JV's fault and I'd be one of the first to point the finger. He's a greedy egotistical t055er who did nothing at BAR with heaps of money and don't point to the WDC he's got as my boy could have won it in the car he had....OK a little over the top but the fact remains Schumi will torpedo the idea first.
     
  8. bernardo66

    bernardo66 The Crazy Cat Man
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 14, 2003
    26,526
    Montreal Canada
    Full Name:
    Bernie
    ...it ain't gonna happen...not as long as he's doesn't shave and tuck in his shirt.LOL!!!

    Even JV admitted that Sauber is not Ferrari's farm team.

    If anything, they're looking at drivers such as Raikonnen and Button.

    Not to mention, Schumy and co. have developped the car so much over the last 8 years, that anything JV would bring to the table would be negligible.
     
  9. Mule

    Mule F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 25, 2003
    3,758
    Alaska
    Full Name:
    Mule
    It has come up a few times over the years in various magazines. JV has said repeatedly that, "I am not ready to drive for Ferrari" alluding to issues his father had with Ferrari and the obvious death. Remember JV was in the middle of the Ferrari scene with his father as a kid, so he may have a biased inside look at the team that has not changed, though the team has.

    Now he drove his father's car at Goodwood and said it brought closure, so maybe one half of the equation is fixed. But, I still don't think he is on Ferrari's short list of future drivers. Maybe 4 or 5 years ago he could have been a contender, but his opportunity may have passed, and his performance and personality may not endear him to Ferrari's decision makers.

    He is one of only two former world champions racing, and though I like him, only his name and past performance are his assets.
     
  10. sjb509

    sjb509 Guest

    How old would he be in 2007?

    It seems that this next year will probably be JVs swan song. I seriously doubt he will finish his contract with Sauber. Driving around scrapping for a point here and there with BAR was one thing, he was being paid MS-type money to do so. Putting your life on the line for little money (relatively speaking) when you don't really need the money (I assume) does not seem to me to be very logical.

    My conclusion is that he either will decide that driving for an uncompetitve team is not worth it and retire for good, or try to use the Sauber drive to move up to a better car. So Ferrari may actually play into the plans after all. If MS retires after 2005, RB stays on for his shot at the championship, and Webber, Kimi, or Alonso moves up to Ferrari, that would leave an open spot in one of the competitve teams.
     
  11. WPGManitoba

    WPGManitoba Rookie

    Jun 11, 2004
    26
     
  12. Admiral Thrawn

    Admiral Thrawn F1 Rookie

    Jul 2, 2003
    3,932
    No, he won't sign with Ferrari. Ferrari will want someone who can make a long-term commitment to the team, like Michael and Rubens have done.

    JV is simply too old to make this commitment. Also, why sign him when FA and KR are quicker, and 10 years younger?
     
  13. amenasce

    amenasce Three Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 17, 2001
    34,425
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    Joe Mansion
    JV saiid he would never sign for Ferrari...but he signed for Sauber.
     
  14. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

    Nov 20, 2002
    17,673
    Tauranga, NZ
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    Pete
    He has? :confused: ... hadn't noticed, just going around and around in uninspirational circles beating a pathetic team mate in Massa.

    Nobody even talks about him (ie. f1 mags and news in general).

    Pete
     
  15. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Oct 3, 2002
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    You're not looking Pete: Fisico has consistently brought the car home and into the points making this Sauber's most successful year ever. No Johnny Herbert nor Frentzen were able to match this.

    Agreed on the Massa part.

    Don't get me wrong, I'm no Fisico fan, but he did about all that was possible with the Sauber this year. If JV can live up that expectation, I'm already satisfied, but I doubt it.
     
  16. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

    Nov 20, 2002
    17,673
    Tauranga, NZ
    Full Name:
    Pete
    I will watch harder ... :)

    Pete
     
  17. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    49,601
    @ the wheel
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    Andreas
    LOL

    Almost too late: He'll go back to Renault and switch back in his drive-for-a-living mode, which was first patented by Patrese.

    Only his hopes of ever driving a real Ferrari got him going this year...
     
  18. GTE

    GTE F1 World Champ

    Jun 24, 2004
    10,117
    The Netherlands
    Full Name:
    Marnix
    Totally out of the question. Villeneuve will be about 35 by then. Any replacement for Schumacher will be some 10 years younger. If Ferrari can get their hands on Raikkonen, he will be the man, simply because he is the best alternative. Perhaps Alonso is on the shortlist as well.

    If Ferrari had any special interest in Villeneuve, they would've made their move a long time ago, but they didn't. Besides, I don't think Jacques has got what it takes to make it at Ferrari. The name in itself is not enough. If anything, it'll only take away from the Villeneuve-name and the magic relationship with the Ferrari Formula 1-team from over 20 years ago.
     

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