Canadian Grand Prix re-instated!!

[slick]

Back on calendar for next year!


CBC article

Now, all we need to hear is that JV has secured an F1 ride for next year......


Cheers,

[miataboi]

Mr. Corriveau...

Re: last season's BAR team... all I gotz ta say...

Is it's Union JACK... NOT Union Jacques... Long live Jensen Button!




Damn french people!

[slick]

Mr. Watson ,

I agree, definately not his finest moments with that team, some really bad drives this year, but some good ones too.

I start to wonder now, given the contempt that Richards has for Villeneuve, whether they made sure Villeneuve's car had the lion's share of mechanical problems. Who knows...
Don't know how my spirits and motivation would be if my car broke down as much as his did during races.

I think Villeneuve needs a truly competitive and reliable car before we dismiss him so quickly. Chances are slim that he'll be back in 2005 if he doesn't get a drive in 2004.

As for the money he made, imagine someone asking Schumi to switch to Jaguar in 2004 for $30M a year, then complaining cause he still can't win races in a crappy car in two years time. Jacques earned that salary he got, and I wouldn't give it back either. He sacrificed his career for BAR and is entitled to compensation for that risk.

But we need a Canadian driver out there for sure. And I don't see anyone stepping up to F1 soon.
Tracy? maybe in a couple of years?
Tag or Carp? not ready yet for the big time...

All I want, is to see the younger Jacques from 97 dicing with the big boys again...... Dunno, maybe it'll never happen..




Cheers,

[tanney]

Tracy? maybe in a couple of years?

Tracy missed his chance. He had a test drive with Benneton in 94. Schumacher was quoted as saying "Tracy will never make it in Formula 1" and when askewd why not, his response was "He's too fat!"

Tracy is WAY too old for F1. He is older than anybody expect Panis in F1 now and F1 is looking for teenagers with lots of finacial backing!

Unfortunately, Jacques is probably done, as far as F1 is concerned.

[slick]

True about Tracy. Forgot he tried his hand at F1 before. Not too many second chances in F1.

Hesitantly, you're probably right about Villeneuve not going back to F1. I don't think he impressed too many team bosses with his early exit from Japan either. Very limited options open to him right now.

[philip_240sx]

Originally posted by slick
Hesitantly, you're probably right about Villeneuve not going back to F1. I don't think he impressed too many team bosses with his early exit from Japan either.

I couldn't believe it when I heard it... It definitely isn't going to help his cause. I would be very suprised to see him in another F1 ride... the competition is getting stiff. Lots of young drivers with potential.

Anyway, it's nice to see the Canadian GP has a chance... assuming everything works out.

[Gary]

I think Villenueve's career is probably over, but his exit from the sport? I think it was stage managed to the n'th degree. Call me cynical, but him not driving the last race looked planned to me.

As evidence, I offer the following:

1. Jacques distraught over his contract not being renewed? I can't believe it. The Jacques I'm familiar with is one hard nosed sumbitch. He's a realist too. He'd have seen it coming months ago.

2. Jacques catches the BAR team by suprise with his decision? They try to dissuade him? Hmmm. Very interesting facts here: a) There are no problems finding a replacement driver. The driver turns out to be none other than Takuma Sato. b) It is the Japanese Grand Prix. c) Honda is the engine supplier to the BAR team. d) Guess who drove for Jordan (powered by Honda) at last year's Japanese Grand Prix? None other than Takuma Sato.

3. It was rumoured as far back as the US Grand Prix that BAR was looking to replace Villeneuve with Sato for the Japanese Grand Prix. (See stories on F1 Live.com)

Looks to me like BAR got their wish, and I'm betting Jacques got paid not to race.

I could be wrong; happens all the time, but this one does not pass my smell test.

Gary

[Marsh]

Actually Honda was forcing Sato down BAR's throat whether they liked it or not. Hey is a Honda driver, and he was to drive in F1 as a condition of Honda supplying engines to BAR. It was announced at the beginning of the season that he would get one of the two seats at BAR, and it would probably be Jacques' seat.

I've heard rumors that Renault wants Jacques.

[slick]

I think Villeneuve's career is probably over, but his exit from the sport? I think it was stage managed to the n'th degree. Call me cynical, but him not driving the last race looked planned to me.

On french tv (RDS) this past weekend, they were discussing the rumour that BAR contacted Pollock to discuss what it would take to put Sato in the car for the weekend.
I didn't pay much attention to it, as it was the only place I heard anything about that, but the Quebec F1 coverage is usually more accurate than TSN or SpeedTV and they have some people pretty much entrenched into the F1 world.

My guess is yes, BAR & HONDA moved him out for Sato, but I'm sure we'll find out the truth over the next few months, even if BAR made sure to include a gag order with the payoff.
Besides, that Richards guy can't be trusted. Watch your back Jenson!

[Chris P]

for the next canadian F1 driver you need to look pretty far down the latter. I hear armindinger in Alantic is a possiblility or perhaps Ranger in franam....
macri in alantic too, but i think shortage of money has really hurt him, how can you be compeditive with half the budget and nobody really looks too hard at you unless your ontop.

[tanney]

Isn't there a Canadian in F3000 this year?

[Carguy]

The Renaud rumor makes some sense to me. But they would have to dump Trulli - after his best season ever. Having said that, Trulli's best finish was a 3rd place in the German GP. He has never won an F1 race. Since Jacques is very popular in France Renaud could add a french-speaking former F1 champion to a French team. So the move makes sense from that POV.

[tanney]

It won't happen, Trulli and Alonso's manager is the team principle. Briatori (sp) is not going to fire one of the drivers he manages in the team he runs with contracts in place.

[Chris P]

Originally posted by tanney
Isn't there a Canadian in F3000 this year?

Sorry, your correct, Billy Asaro is in the running too.

[Triumphracer]

I don't think I would fire either of Renault's current driver to get JV, unless you wanted his experience as a test and development driver. Even that doesn't make sense because he sets his car up so weird with the rear ride height lower that the frontand very pointy, so thats not going to help establish setups for other drivers.

Since Renault isn't selling cars in the North American market Renault wants drivers recognised in European markets for advertising purposes; if they want to break into our market in the future better to hire a US driver like Townsend or Hill from F3000.

While we are discussing F1, does anyone else think V10 engines sound lousy compared with V8 or V12s? I think the FIA should bring in a rule enforcing V8s for say 2005, helps cut costs and sounds better too!
Simon, TR4a.