We Should Forget about 2001, Says Villeneuve

Jacques Villeneuve says he is doing his best for British American Racing but that the Formula One team should write off the season to focus on the future.

Speaking at the German Grand Prix on Friday, Canada's 1997 World Champion did not attempt to hide his disappointment with what has been yet another year of struggle.

"I think that at this point it is better to not even concentrate on this year and really put all the effort into next year," he said. "We're getting used to looking at the future so that's what we're going to do again."

Speaking one day after renewing his contract, Villeneuve also replied to comments made by his race engineer Jock Clear that suggested he was giving less than 100 percent.

"It's nice to know that Jock believes I can go quicker than I am but you always try and do your best," said Villeneuve of the comments, published in an interview on the Canadian's own website. "But the way it's been going this year with the car we've never been really in a position to be competitive in qualifying and we've concentrated mainly on trying to get ready for the races.

"It turns out that we have been more competitive in the races than we are in qualifying...but we still need a lucky weekend to be in the top six," he said at a news conference. Clear, who has worked with Villeneuve since his Championship days at Williams, had said that Villeneuve had a rare talent that could not be wasted.

"I think that there's that special something inside Jacques that he's not using at the moment," he said. "It's still there and we all know it's there but drivers of his talent only have a finite amount of that something special.

"If you asked them to use that something out of the ordinary just to qualify ninth rather than 11th then you would be abusing that talent."

Despite renewing his contract with a team built around him when they entered Formula One two years ago, Villeneuve said he had kept his eyes open to other opportunities.

"You just always look at what's happening everywhere, just in case something happens and you have to look at something else," he said. "There was never really a question of going anywhere else anyway."

Villeneuve gave BAR their first ever podium this year with a third place in Spain but he has otherwise scored just seven points in 11 races and is 10th overall.

"We're not doing too well, we're not very competitive and we have been going backwards," he said. "So it is a little bit difficult to accept at this point and all the work we're doing now is more in desperation than in trying to get the last 10th out of the car.

"I think we will see the developments mainly for next year. This car wasn't born very well. It didn't feel right in winter testing. We've improved it a bit but less than the opposition and engine-wise the same," added the Canadian, who said before the start of the season that the team needed to be fighting for third place overall to keep him happy.

"I still want to win races, so I will just keep on working hard and trying to do it."