Villeneuve Makes U-Turn on BAR Commitment

Former World Champion Jacques Villeneuve has denied any plans to leave British American Racing (BAR), saying he will stay with the struggling team until his contract runs out at the end of 2003.

Last week, the 31-year-old Canadian hinted he was considering moving on but on Friday he was determined to present a united front with BAR.

"I don't see myself leaving," Villeneuve was quoted as saying in an interview with Belgian newspaper Le Soir.

"I would love to win with this team because I was there from the beginning. I'm not here to pull the team down, I'm here to do the best I can. There's no point in working against each other."

BAR have yet to score a point this season and Villeneuve, the 1997 champion with Williams, has only two third-place finishes to show for four seasons with the team. His last victory came during his world title year with Williams and he knows he is under mounting pressure to win a first race with BAR.

Younger Drivers

"I've noticed that Formula One are recruiting and training younger and younger drivers and I sense that my world title will not mean anything if I don't get a result soon," he said. "I don't want to become unemployed."

The Canadian signed a new multi-year contract last season, before friend and former team principal Craig Pollock was replaced at the helm by David Richards, leading to pre-season doubts over Villeneuve's future with the team.

Last week, he was quoted as saying by the Evening Standard newspaper that he would reassess his position with BAR within "the next couple of months".

"I won't stick with it forever," he said. "There comes a point when enough is enough."

Villeneuve, whose team finished sixth overall last year, said on Friday he would prefer to leave the sport altogether than drive for a third-rate outfit.

"Other than driving, nothing else about Formula One interests me," he said. "Winning in Formula One is the absolute top."