Ex-F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve could be making a comeback to the sport, but as a team owner. The 39-year old Canadian, who won the title in 1997, is said to have submitted an application for the 13th slot on the Formula 1 grid under the name Villeneuve Racing.
German publication Auto Motor und Sport, which first broke the story, suggested that ex Renault team bosses Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds, who exited the sport due to the Crashgate scandal, are involved with the project. Other suggestions include a partnership with former GP2 team Durango, which announced its F1 bid earlier this year.
“I’ve never made it a secret that I’m working hard on an F1 project. But I’ve not discussed the details or what my plans were and I won’t be drawn on it now. I’m not commenting,” Villeneuve told the BBC. “There is an element of truth in the rumours,” said Villeneuve’s manager, Rick Gorne. “It’s a project we’re working on.”
So far, we’ve heard of a few contenders for USF1’s 13th slot; among them are Spanish team Epsilon Euskadi, French team ART Grand Prix, Italian based Durango and the American Cypher Group. The FIA is expected to announce the winning applicant next month.
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I tought he was a singer before?
welcome back to F1..
Villeneuve will be team owner and no.1 driver….grandmaster on ‘Late Breaking’ skills..
good for him..
I have my reservations on him racing. He’s spent too many years out of F1 and his last few years was with a non-performing team. Plus the new regulations don’t favor the new teams much especially with such limited testing time. How fast and far can you progress when you can only test during free practice?
so he quit indy and daytona and then join back F1? who’s gonna sponsor him?
Alain Prost, Aguri Suzuki and a handful of ex F1drivers tried to run an F1 team after retiring but with limited success. History will repeat itself, if Jacques goes down the same road.