Villeneuve: I'm Staying with BAR in 2003

Canadian Jacques Villeneuve will drive for the British American Racing team next season unless something extreme happens, the Canadian said on Thursday.

"I'm staying next year," said Villeneuve during a press conference ahead of the French Grand Prix. "I don't see any reason for me not being back with BAR next year. It would take something really, really extreme, so I feel at the moment I am definitely with the team next year."

Villeneuve has been with the Brackley-based squad since they made their Formula One debut in 1999, but he has endured three disappointing seasons and in 2002 things are not getting any better.

Villeneuve and teammate Olivier Panis finally scored the team's first points of the season at the British Grand Prix two weeks ago when they finished fourth and fifth respectively in very difficult conditions.

The 1997 World Champion said that BAR needed the points in order to get a heavy weight off their shoulders.

"It just made everybody happier, so it's easier to work," said the Canadian. "It's like waking up and putting some cold water on your face. It was needed, it's been a very hard season since the beginning and it looked like we weren't going to score any points until the end of the season.

"That was bad, it was very hard for everybody to carry so now everybody is standing a little bit straighter and it's easier to work."