Villeneuve: BAR Gamble Backfired

Jacques Villeneuve claims a gamble to secure a contract extension at BAR-Honda has backfired because he did not hold serious talks with rival teams.

Canadian Villeneuve, who has been at BAR since 1999, was told last weekend that his contract would not be renewed with Japanese driver Takuma Sato moving up from his test driver role to replace him.

On Thursday, Villeneuve told BAR team principal that he did not want to race in Sunday's season-ending Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka as the 1997 world champion's Formula One career came to an almost-certain end.

He admitted that concentrating on a new deal at BAR has backfired on him and told the Press Association: "We were doing our best to stay at BAR but we were never given a chance. I concentrated on staying at BAR and did not talk to other teams."

Villeneuve's manager and former BAR boss Craig Pollock added: "Jacques is extremely disappointed not to be staying with the team next year and he simply felt that his heart would not be in it for the coming weekend."

Villeneuve, who has now returned to his Monaco home from Japan, is left with only one real option for 2004 with Jaguar yet to confirm whether Briton Justin Wilson will be awarded a contract.