Villeneuve: the Memorable Moments

THE DEBUT
March 10, 1996
Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne, Australia

Despite Jacques Villeneuve's arrival from the United States as the reigning IndyCar champion, many observers scoffed at his chances of winning in an altogether different world - Michael Andretti, after all, had proved in his efforts with McLaren just three years earlier that the step up was too tough to make.

But the Canadian made an immediate impact with a supreme display at Melbourne's Albert Park circuit, when he put his Williams on pole position ahead of established team leader Damon Hill. Only a self-induced oil leak on his Williams, caused by a brief off during the race, prevented him from claiming a maiden victory.

Villeneuve let Hill past with five laps to go to make sure he finished the race and followed the Briton home in second, but he said: "I feel absolutely fantastic. It was a thrilling race and a terrific result. It's disappointing, but it was a good battle with Damon and the race was fun. He put a lot of pressure on me."

THE WIN
April 28, 1996
European Grand Prix, Nurburgring, Germany

After seeing teammate Hill win the opening three races of the year, Villeneuve was determined to turn things around and he managed to race to his first Formula One victory, in only his fourth race, by fending off a determined challenge from the Ferrari of reigning world champion Michael Schumacher.

Hill made a mess of things, dropping back after a sluggish start then getting caught up with backmarker Pedro Diniz after a slow pitstop before finishing fourth. Villeneuve, on the other hand, was super smooth and refused to buckle under the pressure as Schumacher closed in for the kill in the final laps.

"It is a great feeling to win my first race in Formula One," he said. "We have worked hard to get there and it is good to be there so early. The car was particularly good for the third stint, which was a good thing as Michael was going really strongly and we needed the car to be good at that point. He made it fun."

THE PASS
September 22, 1996
Portuguese Grand Prix, Estoril, Portugal

This was one of the moments that will go down in the memory not only for Villeneuve fans but for all those who love Formula One racing. Chasing back after a bad start, the Canadian pulled off an all-time great passing move when he shot past Schumacher on the outside of the last corner. The German, and Villeneuve's Williams team, was stunned.

"I had been telling the team that it was possible to overtake on the outside there and they said that they would come and pick me out of the guardrail," said Villeneuve. "It was very difficult to overtake Michael and I had nothing to lose. It was worth taking a big risk and I got him on the outside. That was a lot of fun."

Villeneuve, by now up to second, calmly raced on to make up a 15-second deficit on his teammate Hill and passed the Briton in the final pitstops to snatch a dramatic victory in the season's penultimate race, taking the world championship title battle right down to the wire.

SUZUKA SLIP-UP
October 13, 1996
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka, Japan

The title battle came to a showdown between Williams teammates Villeneuve and Hill in the season-ending Japanese Grand Prix, but it all went devastatingly wrong for the Canadian in what he admitted, at the time, was his worst ever race.

Villeneuve shone in qualifying and put his car on pole, but he messed up the start and dropped down to sixth as Hill seized the opportunity and eased into the lead. Villeneuve fought back to fourth but despite being the fastest man on track he could not find a way past Schumacher's Ferrari.

The title battle was put beyond doubt on lap 37 when the right-rear wheel on Villeneuve's Williams fell off. Hill was crowned champion after winning half of the season's races. Villeneuve would have to wait for his title but could hold his head high having proved his worth as the rookie of the year.

"It was just a very bad start," Villeneuve said when asked where it all went wrong. "It was my mistake." Hill praised his teammate and said: "Jacques has been an outstanding newcomer to Formula One, and I am certain he is a future World Champion. He has taken to it like a duck to water, and I have been impressed with him all season."

DIFFICULT DRIVE
April 13, 1997
Argentine Grand Prix, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Villeneuve's drive to victory in Buenos Aires was a classic display of his fantastic fight and determination. The Williams driver had picked up a stomach bug during a holiday between the Brazilian and Argentine races, but despite struggling throughout the weekend, he battled to victory.

He managed to snatch pole position but admitted after his sterling performance in qualifying that he might not make the race distance. He spent much of the raceday morning in the circuit medical centre, and he was a physical mess when he climbed into his Williams on the grid for the race.

Despite the problems, he led from the start and held off a late challenge from the Ferrari of Eddie Irvine despite suffering gearbox dramas. His engineer described the car as 'a wreck' when it crossed the line, and Villeneuve admitted: "It was without doubt the most difficult race and most satisfying win of my career."

THE FINAL VICTORY
September 28, 1997
Luxembourg Grand Prix, Nurburgring, Germany

Win number 11 would prove to be Villeneuve's last, but it was more through luck than judgement that he ended up on the top of the podium.

He escaped a first corner tangle with teammate Heinz-Harald Frentzen, saw Schumacher eliminated on lap one, then rose to the top when both McLarens surrendered the lead within a lap of each other.

"I could not have beaten the McLarens," Villeneuve said. "But when they went out it was the most difficult part of the race. At first I eased up to take care of the car, but there is a danger of going to sleep, so I decided to speed up again to maintain my concentration and the team might have preferred me to think more about the car."

CHAMPION
October 6, 1997
European Grand Prix, Jerez, Spain

The title battle between Villeneuve and Schumacher went down to the wire with some believing that the Canadian would have wrapped it up long before had he not made needless mistakes. No matter the argument, however, there was no doubting the end result after a thrilling final race ended in controversy.

Villeneuve started from pole alongside Schumacher after the pair, along with Frentzen, had set identical times in qualifying. But the Canadian was slow off the line and dropped to third as Schumacher took the lead. He moved up to second then traded fastest laps with Schumacher until after the second set of stops.

That is when the drama happened. On lap 43, Villeneuve chased down Schumacher and dived down the inside of the Dry Sack corner, taking the German by surprise. In a move he later admitted was deliberate, Schumacher steered into Villeneuve, clattered into the sidepod of the Williams and slid off into the gravel trap.

Fortunately for Villeneuve the damage was not major, and as Schumacher sheepishly took a scooter back to the paddock, his championship rival eased home to a third place finish that was enough to take the title. "It was the toughest championship of my career," said Villeneuve. "It was really hard right down to the final lap."

Schumacher was stripped of second place in the championship because of the move, and in April 2001 Villeneuve told F1 Racing: "I am now quite happy about what he did. He helped me win the championship because he put himself out of the race so I didn't have to worry about him.

"What he did got him into a load of trouble. He damaged his reputation, not mine. He is the one who looked bad, trying to explain it was not done on purpose, and putting the blame on me made him look even worse. If everybody behaved like Michael Schumacher, there would be a few guys killed during the season."

The incident, and the suggestions that Villeneuve almost threw away the title, overshadowed the championship victory but the Canadian said: "I made a few mistakes, but that is life. There were a lot of bad calls during the year on weather conditions, which was more of a team decision, but in the end the driver gets the blame."

CHASING THE DREAM
January 6, 1999
British American Racing launch, Brackley, England

After a lean year at Williams, which saw the reigning champion finish fifth with just 21 points and only two podiums, Villeneuve was eager to take on the challenge, instigated by his manager Craig Pollock, of nurturing a new team to victory in record time. He therefore turned up at the launch of British American Racing with high expectations.

"Despite BAR being a new team, I will be winning races this season," he said confidently in the pre-season build-up. But the hopes from early tests soon faded and despite the bright promises on what may go down as the most significant day of Villeneuve's career, things would not turn out as planned.

CRASH OF COMMITMENT
August 28, 1999
Belgian Grand Prix practice, Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium

Villeneuve has always been an all-out racer, but he went one step beyond sensible when he took on the infamous Eau Rouge and Radillon corners flat-out in his BAR machine. Unfortunately, the car could not take it and the Canadian lost control, careering into the barriers at high speed.

Villeneuve stepped out of the car and jogged away, but just minutes later his teammate Ricardo Zonta did exactly the same thing at exactly the same place. "It was violent but at the same time I know what happened, I made an error," said Villeneuve. "If you know what happens there is no reason to be scared."

He later told F1 Racing: "The accident was not fun and I saw stars. But it makes you feel strong, it makes you feel alive. It is a very macho, very stupid thing, but there is pride involved. It's like being a boxer, kicking someone else's butt. You hit and you get hit back, it's as simple as that. Too much testosterone or something."

DISASTER
October 31, 1999
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka, Japan

The final race of the season was BAR's final hope of avoiding embarrassment. After predicting victories in their debut season they had been well off the pace and not yet once finished in the points. Villeneuve's 11th place on the grid did little to suggest things would improve and, sure enough, they did not.

Villeneuve finished ninth, his teammate Zonta 11th, and although the race marked the first time both BARs had reached the end of a race, it more notably confirmed they would end 1999 pointless. "(The season) was wasted from a driving point of view because there was a lot of energy spent and I didn't take much out of it," said Villeneuve.

"This year wasn't really necessary, and if there was another season like this then I wouldn't have any option but to go somewhere else. There won't be another one like this, though, because it cannot be worse. When you are so far down you can only go up, and this very hard year helped gel the team to make us stronger."

MAKING A POINT
March 12, 2000
Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne, Australia

Sure enough, Villeneuve and BAR were fired up for their second season in Formula One and they came out fighting for the opening race in Australia. Villeneuve was mighty thrilled and relieved to notch up the first points for the team with a fourth-placed finish, but he admitted it was not something they had expected.

"The car was well balanced and prepared for Melbourne and I knew that we would be much better than we were in 1999," the Canadian said after the race. "In the end I was hoping for a podium finish, but Ralf Schumacher overtook me in the pits. I am very surprised with this result."

COMMITMENT TO THE CAUSE
July 27, 2000
Re-signing with BAR

Villeneuve faced another crucial point in his career just as things were looking up at BAR. He had scored 11 points in 10 races and, he felt, the team was turning the corner. So he turned down an offer from Benetton-Renault and committed, once again, to the challenge of taking BAR forward towards race wins and world titles.

"There were other good options so it wasn't easy at all," Villeneuve said of his decision to stay. "The promises made before I signed the first contract didn't really come through, but the team has been progressing a lot and the fruits have been starting to show in the last few races.

"I knew what I had here, and had I left I would have been going on promises alone. The two main options I had could both have fulfilled my long-term criteria of winning races and championships and that is what made it difficult to decide. I have been working hard on this project, and it is going to be nice to see it through to the end."

TRAGEDY AT ALBERT PARK
March 4, 2001
Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne, Australia

Villeneuve escaped unscathed in a horrifying crash with Ralf Schumacher that tragically led to the death of a marshal. It brought the gung-ho Canadian down to earth. He admitted afterwards that it was the first time he had ever been scared in an accident, and he was particularly distressed by the marshal's death.

Villeneuve had been running behind Ralf Schumacher on the sixth lap of the race when he made a move to overtake into Turn 3. He ran into the back of the Williams and flew into the air, careering past a mesh safety fence shedding wheels and bodywork as it went and ending up in a retaining wall.

"It was a big, big one," Villeneuve said afterwards, before paying tribute to the marshal. "This is very, very heavy. These guys don't expect to lose their life working on the track. It is very sad because they are there to help us. It is going to take a while to absorb the true meaning of it because of the shock I am feeling."

An investigation followed, with Ralf Schumacher placing the blame firmly on Villeneuve, who he said had "over-rated himself a bit". But the FIA concluded it was a racing incident. No matter who was to blame, the incident clearly struck home the dangers of the sport to the ever-committed Villeneuve.

PODIUM PROMISE
April 29, 2001
Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona, Spain

Finally, after 36 failed attempts, Villeneuve put British American Racing on the podium. In the fourth race of the team's third season on the Grand Prix grid the Canadian started from seventh and drove a cool, calm race as he benefited from rivals' misfortunes to rise up the field.

It looked like the day would yield just another solid fourth place finish, but on the very last lap leader Mika Hakkinen's McLaren coasted to a halt and Villeneuve was promoted to third, claiming his first podium since finishing third for Williams at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 1998.

"Everybody in the team has worked extremely hard over the last three years and this result was much-needed," said Villeneuve. "We were a little bit lucky that a few cars dropped out, but this result is a really positive step forward." But Villeneuve picked up just one more podium in 2001, in Germany, and that would prove to be his last.

THE DEPARTURE
October 9, 2003
Thursday, Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka, Japan

Villeneuve's first exit from Formula One was as shocking and noteworthy as his Grand Prix debut. In Tokyo, preparing for the final race of the season, the Canadian was told there was no place for him at BAR in 2004. The news was not a shock, test driver Takuma Sato had been given the berth in deference to engine suppliers Honda, but the timing of its delivery was a big disappointment.

Things had gone downhill since the arrival of David Richards as a replacement for Pollock as team boss, and there was bad blood after public disagreements over Villeneuve's salary. To add to that, Button, allegedly due to preferential treatment, had the upper hand and the Canadian had only scored six points in the year.

Villeneuve tore with his emotions but could not bring himself to race for the team in the final event and gave up his berth to Sato one race early. It was the end of the dream.

"When the team changed, they had a few people completely destroying it," he said later. "It just looked to me as if some of them spend their careers destroying whoever they work with so they can be better. I am paying the price for not playing political games, for not bending on my knees and being weak."

THE COMEBACK
September 26, 2004
Chinese Grand Prix, Shanghai, China

After spending most of the season on the sidelines, Villeneuve was drafted back into Formula One by a long-term fan, Flavio Briatore, for the final three races of the season. He made a surprise return at the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix to drive for Renault alongside hot property Fernando Alonso.

The comeback offered him the chance to prove he was still champion material, but he struggled to cope with the car, qualified 12th and finished 11th. He blamed both fitness and technology for his failure and said: "This year the cars are really fast. The car was really, really, really, really hard to drive and I got tired."

He finished 10th and 10th in the final two races of the season, failing to match the pace of teammate Alonso, and Renault president Patrick Faure admitted: "I think we made a mistake. We underestimated the effects of a ten-month lay-off, even for a world champion with the experience and talent of Jacques.

"To expect him to come in and score points immediately was probably unrealistic. Formula One has moved on a year, it is faster, and the ten months he took off made it very, very difficult for him. It has not been a success, and physically he needs a few more months of competition to find top gear."

POINT TO PROVE
April 24, 2005
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola, Italy

Easing his way back into Formula One with Sauber had been difficult for Villeneuve. He was 2-2 in qualifying with young teammate Felipe Massa and a spin and collision in two of the first three races were not the ideal start. Already many observers were questioning Peter Sauber's sense in signing the former champion.

But with pressure on his shoulders, Villeneuve claimed his first points of the season with a fourth place finish and said: "I thoroughly enjoyed my race. The team gave me more freedom and that played its part. I've had a hell of a time this year, so it's sweet to score these points while making a point of my own."

DISMISSED
August 7, 2006
Monday after Hungarian Grand Prix, Budapest, Hungary

Villeneuve earned a stay of execution with BMW but although he scored their first points in Malaysia, there was always doubt over his future with the team. The writing was on the wall as soon as he failed to turn up in Hungary after a major crash in the preceding race, on the German manufacturer's home soil, and the announcement soon followed.

Villeneuve was replaced by test driver Robert Kubica and the team agreed to release him immediately citing 'uncertainty over his future' as an explanation. "The team informed us of its decision to review its options for next year, including assessing Robert Kubica in a race environment at Hungary, without offering me any assurance about my race seat beyond Hungary.

"This is really disappointing as I was looking forward to working with BMW on longer terms, going into next season capitalising on our common experiences. I will now have more time to concentrate on future projects."

And so, for now and probably forever, Villeneuve's decade of Formula One career came to an end.

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