Villeneuve rebuffs possibility of racing with Lotus
Jacques Villeneuve has been one of the most frequently linked names, along with Finland’s Kimi Raikkonen, for a return to Formula One.
According to a French Canadian radio channel, it was speculated that the former BMW Sauber driver was offered a long-term contract by the Lotus racing team. This implied that the driver would get a seat in the Lotus IndyCar machine, and automatically be
promoted to Formula One when the constructors announced their merger with Renault.
The Canadian driver however, was quick to brush aside the claims as mere speculation. He insisted that such a discussion never took place, despite the 1997 World Champion's reported visit to Lotus’ headquarters for talks over a potential move last year.
He denied the prospects of either party prospect of racing in Formula One.
Villeneuve claimed that it was no secret about how desperate he was to make a comeback in Formula One. He argued that if IndyCar been his ticket to F1 racing, he would have gladly accepted the opportunity with both hands. The Canadian was evidently a determined
individual in the build-up to the 2010 season, and many believed that a comeback was more than likely.
Villeneuve further pointed out that F1 would have been an unlikely topic of discussion, as Lotus only recently considered the prospect of racing in the format.
Lotus Vice President Gino Rosato confirmed the veteran’s tale. Here said, “F1 was not in our plans when I spoke to Jacques about IndyCar. I would have loved for him to race with us. In my head, Villeneuve and Lotus was a natural fit, but the planets were
not aligned."
The Canadian driver conceded however, that while the two parties had gone over the IndyCar debate, Takuma Sato had already been confirmed as the first driver.
The former F1 Champion said, "It was not an option. And IndyCar and the Indy 500 - I've already done that. That was before the separation, when the series was more competitive.”
"If I have to bring a budget, it will be for a new challenge like NASCAR, not to go back to something I have already ticked off and achieved," Villeneuve added.
From these words, it appears that the 39-year-old has already closed the Formula One chapter in his career, leaving his fans with a very slim chance of a potential comeback.
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