Jacques Villeneuve

[Ranger]

Recent hoo-haa about Hamilton got me thinking about Villeneuve, and how highly rated his debut season (and debut in particular) was.

Of course many discard his achievements now because Hill wasn't the greatest, he was driving the best car, Michael just had a bad aim in Jerez '97, etc.

IMO he could've been a well respected as a driver today had he:

A) not joined BAR in 1999.
B) retired a few years earlier.

Discuss.

[D-Type]

His debut in Melbourne was impressive, but I don't rave about it because he came to Formula 1 as an established driver and reigning CART champion, unlike Hamilton etc who have arrived on the scene as youngsters who have come up through the various junior series.

It always annoys me when people knock JV. How many drivers have won the Indianapolis 500, been CART Champion and won the FIA Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship? Or, if you prefer, how many are or were capable of doing so?

I never accept the "Well he was in the best car" type of argument because you don't get to drive the best car unless you are good.

In every era there is the 'man to beat' - Fangio, Moss, ~, Senna, Schumacher, and although JV was never on that pinnacle he was most certainly one of those who succeeded in beating 'the man' - in his case Schumacher.

I agree that with the 100% wisdom of hindsight the move to BAR was a bad one. But remember that the reason was that being an independent spirit JV wanted to head his own team. Unfortunately in this day and age of astronomic budgets a small team cannot succeeed.

I accept that his latter performances were, shall we say, lacklustre. But let's face it - would you drive as hard to finish 9th instead iof 10th as opposed to racing to win?

[Ranger]

But let's face it - would you drive as hard to finish 9th instead iof 10th as opposed to racing to win?

Good point. But, if I was into my 7th season of F1 racing, with a WDC and 11 wins in the pocket, despite being out of hand of wins for at least 5 seasons, I really don't see why I would be racing.

Which is point B of my first post. After a few years he just started to "hang on" and like Montoya, should have realised right there and then (in about 2003) that his career was going nowhere upwards, called it quits.

He would've saved most of his reputation.

[ArrowsFA1]

Good point. But, if I was into my 7th season of F1 racing, with a WDC and 11 wins in the pocket, despite being out of hand of wins for at least 5 seasons, I really don't see why I would be racing.
In JV's case probably for a very simple reason - he enjoys racing & competing.

His own reputation doesn't seem to be something that concerns JV much. He's very much his own man, and sometimes that has done him no favours in the F1 paddock where status and reputation are important.

[Cozzie]

He would've saved most of his reputation.

His mouth never helped! ;)