I imagine no one else is surprised, either...

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns11973.html

OCTOBER 4, 2003
More on Villeneuve

Pollock has confirmed that he received a telephone call from David Richards of BAR saying that Villeneuve will not be with the team next year.

"We received a call from BAR Managing Director, Dave Richard on Friday informing us of their decision," Pollock told TSN. "What is so disappointing is the fact that this team was built for and around Jacques, and he underwent all sorts of trials and tribulations over the years as BAR struggled to find its place in Formula 1. Jacques never wavered, and his loyalty to British American Racing was constant. He had other opportunities, and no one would have blamed him for going elsewhere, but he preferred to see this project through despite a car that did not live up to its expectations."

"Our primary emotions right now are sadness and disappointment," Pollock added. "Jacques has given everything to British American Racing in its first five years, and always with a view to building a team that would be front-of-the-grid some day."

It remains to be seen whether Villeneuve will complete the season with BAR but if he decides not to bother it will almost certainly be Takuma Sato who replaces him.

BAR made Villeneuve an offer before the United States GP and Richards and Pollock met at the United States GP to discuss the future. It seems however that they were unable to agree terms.

There are no real options available to Jacques for next year as no-one is willing or in a position to pay him the kind of money he believes he is worth. Williams has no space for Jacques in 2004 and even if it did, it is by no means certain that Jacques would be the first choice.

The news is another disaster for Canadian racing, following the cancellation of the Canadian GP.

 

As much as I've liked Jacques in the past, sadly... it's about time.

This will finally give the team a chance to re-configure itself into something other than JV's and Pollock's excellent GP adventure.

 

Agreed, but replaced by Sato? eek

 

this is probably best for both BAR and JV.

hopefully honda will stay on board.

 

Sign Sato for 60% of JV salary and use the rest to help fund more engine development. Sato carries a high marketing value here in Japan.

 

JV is a crybaby. All he ever did was run his mouth to the press about how bad, terrible and generally shitty his car was, but I don't think I ever heard of him participating or even activly developing the car during testing. He hated testing w/ Williams, and abhored the PR work -- which is fine, but to whine about the development of the car and not lend a hand, that's ******* moronic. The statemement that BAR was "built around JV" is true, but a very sad, sad fact. In all his time there, he didn't accomplish much, and with the idiotic salary that he was getting, he was hampering progress of the team, as a whole, even more. The guy was a weight on the team, and it's good that he got cut loose. Sato (or whomever) will drive for a fraction of JV's salary, and will willingly do testing , etc. A team can't grow when the only feedback a driver offers is bad mouthing the car to the press. Good riddance.
He should have looked to his fathers determination and level of commitment.
And that title he got with Williams was totally undeserved.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MrBite &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Agreed, but replaced by Sato? eek </TD></TR></TABLE>

Remember sato at suzuka last year? thats why they are replacing him. Sato qualified seventh (behind big three) and then went to 5th in the race...truly amazing stuff because he had sucked all season long.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Aleister Crowley &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">JV out at BAR </TD></TR></TABLE>

I thought you caught me at the strip club...

 

It's about time..like previosuly stated..More money on engine developement, less on driver salary..Sato is big in Honda land...Like an American would be for Ford if they were involved..The hometown hero in the hometown vehicle....Good for press

Hopefully Honda will stay in F1..If not with BAR maybe a full factory team, possibly under the ACURA name after the Acura brand goes global in 2005..


Jeff

 

Sato's stated since mid season that he would be driving a BAR next year for points. Button has continued to outshine JV all season long, so I don't think any of this was news to JV.

 

Well, as others said. Good for BAR/Honda. Good for JV. Hopefully, BAR/Honda will get their act together and produce a winning car. But somehow, pessimistically, I do not see that happening anytime soon. The extra cash flow will definetely help them and was probably the main reason for the decision.

Well this is sort of 20/20 hindsight, but in retrospect, had Villeneuve never went to BAR in the first place, both would have been much better off by now. Villeneuve's career wouldnt take such a beating and BAR's bank account...

Anyways, regardless of what happens to Villeneuve next, one can never take away his F1 championship and the victories. Something that does not happen by luck in today's F1 and something that the majority of other drivers will never taste.

JV...
BAR...

 

It's really a shame about Jacques' career.

I don't know if one can say he didn't deserve his championship in 1997 - he had to fend off Michael Schumacher and his notoriously dirty driving all year, and in the last race in particular.

Jacques is a hell of a driver, and in an equal car, could give Michael, Mika, JPM, etc. a lot of trouble.

 

JV, has some harsh comments about Sato published on his website. JV looks like a man with hate in his veins right now.

http://jv.flagworld.com/en/new...17390

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jasyatz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">It's about time..like previosuly stated..More money on engine developement, less on driver salary</TD></TR></TABLE>

please remember that JV's salary was paid by BAT and was not part of BAR's budget. BAR nor Honda lost any money because of JV's stupidly absurd salary.

i've always loved and respected JV's tell it like it is attitude but the fact of the matter is that JB consistently beat JV all season. regardless of how many mechanical failures JV had, and there were many, just about ever time they were head to head JB came out on top.

the team has now be restructured around JB. he needs a teammate who will not work against him and that is what sato provides. along with increased money/support from honda.


Modified by lanceh at 11:35 PM 10/7/2003


Modified by lanceh at 11:35 PM 10/7/2003

 

JV asked to replace Da-Schumi? go to williams? fricking delusional! boot that old fart, no one needs that whiny bastard. BAR needs money, and talent. both are gained by kicking JV out and bringing up the highly marketable Sato. Button has certainly already been the star at BAR this year anyway.



Modified by Tyson at 12:18 AM 10/8/2003

 

That's music to my ears...it's about damn time.

He was so overpaid it was disgusting.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ITACivic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">JV, has some harsh comments about Sato published on his website. JV looks like a man with hate in his veins right now.

http://jv.flagworld.com/en/new...17390

</TD></TR></TABLE>

That is not the JV official Website and those remarks are simply the opinion of the site owners and writers - not JV.

 

Good riddance. I liked him for a year or two despite his absurdly high salary and lack of results. After spouting venom on JB, I reversed any notions of being a JV fan.

Good riddance JV. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

 

well JV had decided not to rance in japan. i really am dissapointed in him.
http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns12009.html

 

 

Its funny how everyone is so quick to judge and make comments based on information provided by the media. We all know that media portrays things in the way they want completely biased although they claim they are being unbiased. For example, JV not racing in the GP of Japan and everyone assumes he's got no class. If you were told you were going to be fired, would you really be able to put your 100% into it? And from another perspective, JV could have backed down b/c of pressure from BAR and Honda. From a marketing standpoint, Sato would provide much more media attention to the team. There are many things that are going on that the public does not know about.

JV to me is a great racer who's made some bad choices in his career. I hope JV gets a ride with a top team like Williams in 2005. I want to see the JV of the Williams Renault days. Lets just hope Sato doesn't crash the BAR as often as the Jordan.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ncrx1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you were told you were going to be fired, would you really be able to put your 100% into it?</TD></TR></TABLE>

If i didn't have a contract with another team already, then yes i would put 100% into my last race. But if EVERY other team had already said they didn't want me, then i guess i'd act like a 2 year old, and quit!

But that's just me.

 

No team wants JV at his old salary (what I assume he would be asking for) is a definitely a correct statement indeed. In fact, at that kind of money no matter who you are except for MS, you'll have a hard time to find anyone who wants you. JV needs to get realistic if for some reason he still wants to continue in F1. It's his call to make and it looks like he's already making it.

Anyone can make a case all day long that he's an overpaid driver with an attitude. But to think or imply that JV right now is not one of the top current F1 drivers, both in speed and experience, well you're just fooling yourselves, sorry. On the few times when that guy gets into it (I doubt he had much motivation to do so with BAR other than waiting for the big pay checks to come), he does deliver. For those who have been following F1 closely, it's hard to dispute that only maybe JPM's natural car control skills are on the same level as, or better than JV's. Still to perform at this level, you need to also be able to focus talent like that consistently into good results. But to do that I think a driver needs to be 110% motivated and I know far to little about the whole JV/BAR situation to blame the lack of it on one, or the other. Nevertheless, at this high level even having a lot of natural talent is not enough. A driver needs to be complete both mentally and in driving ability.

I think most people saw this coming, so I'm not really surprised. JV/BAR's performance just had to pick up eventually, but it never did. I also don't think JV has anything to prove at this point, so unless somehow he gets to drive a car from one of the top teams, or from a mid pack team for who knows how much money, he won't be back in F1. Considering all the money and world championship title that he has, why in the world would he otherwise?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by usuck &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

If i didn't have a contract with another team already, then yes i would put 100% into my last race. But if EVERY other team had already said they didn't want me, then i guess i'd act like a 2 year old, and quit!

But that's just me.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

it's always easy to say u would do this and that when you aren't that person

but that's just me

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ncrx1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

it's always easy to say u would do this and that when you aren't that person

but that's just me</TD></TR></TABLE>

Doh..., I just noticed your location!