Barrichello: Villeneuve Paying for Arrogance

Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello says teamless former World Champion Jacques Villeneuve is paying the price for his outspoken approach.

Canadian Villeneuve, the 1997 World Champion for Williams, has been replaced at BAR by Japan's Takuma Sato and has been unable to find a new team for the 2004 season.

"I think he's paying a little now for all he has said. People noted that at the start (of the season) he said that he didn't have respect for (Jenson) Button. Maybe he is paying a bit for the arrogance," Barrichello said.

"He is a good driver and hopefully he will find a place in a new car."

The Brazilian added that personally he had never had any problems with Villeneuve and said the Canadian's approach was similar to the man Barrichello replaced at Ferrari, Eddie Irvine.

Villeneuve, 32, joined BAR from Williams in 1999. He left the BAR team under a cloud after refusing to race in the season-ending Japanese Grand Prix following the announcement that former test driver Sato would take his seat next year.

His final season with BAR began in acrimony after Villeneuve compared teammate Button to a member of a 'boy band' and said the British driver had to earn respect in the sport. Although the pair finally made-up the clash was one of many occasions in which the rebellious Villeneuve has ruffled feathers with his outspoken approach.

Villeneuve, who has not won a race since his championship-winning season in 1997, says he is unlikely to return to Formula One unless he is given a top car.

Montoya Attitude

Barrichello, speaking at a news conference at Ferrari's winter retreat on Wednesday, was also asked about his close friend, Williams's Colombian driver Juan Pablo Montoya, who has decided to switch to McLaren for the 2005 season.

Asked how Montoya would cope in 2004 with racing for a team he knows he is going to leave at the end of the season, Barrichello said: "I am sure that if he has the chance to win the title that he will give his all because he wants to win.

"But if it is a tough season, if he is midway down the standings at the halfway stage of the season and not in a good situation then he needs to have a very good head to be motivated to have the concentration and the focus to continue to try and win.

"If he starts to think that next season is going to be different then it will be difficult," he said.