Jacques Villeneuve potentially revving for a V8 future
Australia is home to dingoes, kangaroos, surfing, the outback, and Mad Max’s iconic
V8 Ford Falcon Coupe Interceptor. And it is for the latter reason that the former Formula 1 world champion, Jacques Villeneuve, has confirmed that he is considering a full-time move away from NASCAR and into the Aussie’s V8 Supercar series.
"They are cars I always have been intrigued by. I got to see a fair bit of them at Melbourne during the F1. I have also spoken a lot to [V8 champion turned NASCAR racer Marcos] Ambrose about it in the States."
As one of the star guest drivers joining the V8 regulars for this weekend’s Gold Coast 600 two-driver races, the Canadian, who will be paired with Paul Dumbrell at Rod Nash Racing, stated that his sojourn to Australia opened up a new career opportunity.
"There is a big chance you will see more of me here. I would love to come and race here, because it is such a great place."
Given the choice, Villeneuve said he would much rather race full-time in the V8 supercar series than make more guest cameos, as such a routine would be far too grueling on his personal life.
"Part-time in Australia is too tough. It is a long way to come and I have two little boys and you can't just leave for a month or two. It is much better to come and do it full-time and that is what I would do."
As the son of the legendary F1 driver, Gilles Villeneuve, Jacques' early career dazzled racing enthusiasts. Roaring out of the gate in 1995, he won the CART Championship and the Indianapolis 500 in the same year. Coupled with his win at the F1 World Championship
in 1997, he achieved a feat only accomplished by racing legends Mario Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi. To date, he holds the distinction of being the only Canadian to win the Indy 500 and Formula One Drivers' title.
In 1998, Villeneuve’s racing career went into a steady state of decline. Beset by a string of poor finishes, the former champ left F1 for NASCAR in 2007, where his competitive performance remained lukewarm.
By throwing his hat into the Australian Supercar Series, Villeneuve may reinvigorate his sagging career. In an effort to keep all the drivers on an even footing to create closer and more exciting racing, the cars are strictly governed in all aspects of performance.
As a result, the driver’s innate skill plays a far more crucial role in determining the outcome of a race, a factor that would play to Villeneuve’s seasoned strengths.
As the V8 Series gears up for this weekend on Australia’s Gold Coast, Villeneuve will join with other international guests including Dario Franchitti, Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Alex Tagliani, Ryan Briscoe, four-time Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais,
World Touring Car stars Yvan Muller, Andy Priaulx, Alain Menu and Tiago Monteiro, as well as ex-F1 drivers Mika Salo and Gianni Morbidelli.
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