Chief F1 Fan

There's been a lot of talk about JV coming back to CART based on a few assumptions and words stated by a couple of each sport's directors (Pook, Richards, Forsythe). Forsythe said next year he'll have a "former star, former champion in the Player's car." Pook said basically the same thing, that a deal was being worked out with a former star to return. Richards said "there may be some mechanism by which Olivier Panis would be Jenson Button's team mate next year." JV has stated emphatically he ain't goin' to the other side of the pond and so has his manager, Pollock. But, Forsythe's team is a BAT affiliate and cld pony up the $20M or so JV wld demand for a year out of F1. BAR cld continue to develop, Panis' contract wld expire and JV cld return in 03 to a fully developed car that runs a helluva lot better than it did when he left. I don't believe that car will ever run much better than it does at the moment, it's destined to be a 2nd (at best) or 3rd (likely) tier F1 team. I do know one thing-JV comes back and I won't miss very many CART races!

anj2

I read somewhere that the only reason JV would return to CART, would be to end his career...sort of like one of those finish where you started things (at least where his career took off)...

Red Rider

I think it would be awesome, and it does make some sense. The car is not competitive and won't be much better next year. Why not come back and let Players go out with a bang.

Red Rider

Hey Chief, after 2003 who do you think will sponsor the Forsythe team ? Any rumors ?

Chief F1 Fan

Don't know about the Forsythe team-yet. The big problem w/ JV coming back to CART is this: now that he's driven and become world champion in the ultimate world of F1, why the fawk would he come back to race in a one-make engine series?? That to me sez he won't be back. Remember, his self-perception is that of World Champ, that's why he gets $20M/year to drive as a backmarker. He's driven by $$ that much is sure, but he's gotta be driven by ego as well, all those guys are!!

Red Rider

I agree with you, it's a very long shot at best. I guess that's why they call it " Silly Season "

Red Rider

Hey Canadian dudes, what's the latest on this rumor ? I just read that the owner of his team is almost encouraging him to do it so he can save the 20 mil and use it to further develop the car for 2004. I still think it's a long shot but maybe a little more toward reality.

Chief F1 Fan

Forsythe has allegedly put a LOT of $$$$ in front of JV's nose to return for a year while BAR develops the car (yeah, right). I just can't see it happening tho.

mr tl

im sure you guys heard. JV confirmed today that he has no plans for going back to cart

ez062897

F!ck him. CART gave him his first real break, but now he treats CART like his illegitimate child. :sqntfawk:

The champagne and caviar, the scantily clad blond models at trackside, and the dough has gotten to his head.

Hell, it's getting to me too

Chief F1 Fan

YAHOOOOOOO!!

I desperately need to see JV competing in F1 next year! I've met him on two occasions and both times he was a little shy, but the 2nd time, he remembered meeting me previously @ Long Beach. He doesn't belong in CART, that wld be one gigantic step backwards. Why the fawk wld he race in a one engine make series? That would be like racing glorified Atlantics fer Chrissakes. It would give the series a huge boost in the arm but Forsythe wasn't the guy that needed JV, it was Pook. I'd bet b/n he and Player's, they were the sole source of $$$$$$ for JV's salary. I don't think for a second Forsythe "deserved" JV" services, he's at the pinnacle of sport having beaten His Majesty Schumacher for the ultimate crown, why go backwards? Not only that but I doubt Forsythe wld begrudge JV for doing just what he is-racing F1 as Forsythe always knew he wld be.

Chief F1 Fan

But wait, there's more . . . it seems JV has not ruled this out completely yet, only based on what he's heard which =nothing.

Read this:

Jacques Villeneuve has said it would take a ‘golden contract’ for him to make the move from Formula 1 back to ChampCars.

While not ruling out a switch completely, Villeneuve did not sound enthusiastic about moving back to America when asked about a potential deal in Hungary on Thursday.

Villeneuve’s former ChampCar team boss Gerry Forsythe has admitted he is trying to put together a huge deal to lure the 1995 series winner back to the championship. British American Tobacco, which owns Villeneuve’s current team BAR, also own the Players cigarette brand, which sponsors Forsythe’s ChampCar outfit.

The popularity of ChampCars has been on the wane this season and the bosses of the series itself may help put together a huge contract for Villeneuve, who is still popular in the States. BAR boss David Richards is also enthusiastic about the deal. He wants to give Villeneuve the year off while using the money from his £10million salary to develop the BAR. The plan would be for Villeneuve to then return in 2004 when BAR had a competitive car.

But speaking today in Hungary, Villeneuve said that no such deal had been put to him.

He said: "Unless there is a proposition made you cannot make a decision on an imaginary proposition. I have a good contract for next year and I have no reason to change it. The only way I could start thinking of doing anything else is if there was something very special.


"There hasn't been any proposition from anywhere - from the States or for longer terms. So it is easy to put the ball in my camp when actually there is no ball to be played."


However, Villeneuve has been after a longer deal with BAR further to the year he has left on his current contract. It’s possible that BAT may offer him a megabucks long-term contract where he would race in ChampCars for a year before returning to F1 with BAR for an extended period.

"I would be open to a longer term if there was any proposition made to think about," said Villeneuve. "But there is no proposition anywhere so what should I think about? I am just happy to go on with my contract. It's very simple."


Villeneuve hinted that it would take an extraordinary amount of cash to tempt him back to ChampCars, even for one season.

He added: "At the moment, apart from a golden contract, I don't see any reason to go racing in the States."

ez062897

JV needs to realize something. He has not won a race in how many years? He has a fat contract with a team that could put to use that money developing their cars. I think he's let alittle of the contract get to his head.

JV won with Williams in his second year in F1 because he was a good driver with an unbeatable car, but he was also hungry to win. He has lost that edge and has resorted to complaining, moaning and groaning about cars, chassis, team members, other drivers, blah, blah, blah.

A few years in CART may make him realize that hunger again.

I personally, though, feel CART has too much of its drivers going off to F1 and back again, so JV coming back is not that important to me. But looking at it from his point of view, he ain't cutting the mustard in F1.

(Remember Michael Schumacher nearly won the F1 title in a subpar Benetton...now that's skill. JV has not gotten a lot out of his ride).

F1 Fan

the only reason he almost won (schumacher that is) is b/c he tried punting JV off the road in order to do it. Subpar Benetton? Same engine; Rory Byrne design, Ross Brawn tactician. They were neck and neck all year in 97. The BAR car has been a miserable failure who I blame Pollock directly for. I also blame Pollock for putting his best friend into a shitty car and in essence, ruining his career. Who is going to take JV now? He's 31 and all the top teams have committed their drivers to a contract already.

And too many drivers going back and forth outta F1? Answer: 2-Andretti and Zanardi (who actually started in F1, came to CART, F1 and then back to CART). And purely from a selfish point of view on behalf of Jacques, why the fawk wld he care about putting his contract dollars into a team he doesn't own? This is a fact of F1 life and the richer teams (of which BAR is one of the richest) can do this. David Richards' yakkin' about JV making too much is rubbish-give him a car and he can still do it, without that car, you see the results over the last 3 years w/ BAR-0 wins (which equals his wins the last season he was w/ Williams too).

ez062897

Yes, Schumacher can also be an ass, but also give him credit. He got a sweet deal with Ferrari but had to go through a few years of development on that car, but still managed to be competitive. I have not seen the same level of success, and yes may be even effort, coming from JV who is also in a car under developement. However, I'm no F1 driver, so may be JV is doing everything humanly possible to assist in the development of the car...somehow you never seem to question Schumacher's commitment (I would include Ralf in that as well).

As for CART/F1 drivers going back and forth, yes the two Andrettis, Zanardi. I would also include Emmo (F1 to CART, Nelson Piquet (F1 to CART), Juan Montoya (let's wait alittle, after a few years he may come back too). Bryan Herta is testing with Arrows. Gil de Ferran has been rumored for years. Tracy tested with an F1 team a few years ago. de Matta is rumored to be a candidate. You forgot Nigel Mansell. The list actually goes on alittle longer. All this creates instability in the racing league and that is not what US open wheel racing needs (even just rumors are destabilizing).

Emmo did it right. He did his F1 stint but then came to the US and raced for CART and committed to the organization. Mario was alittle fickle but he realized the US and CART was where his heart was. The latest group of racers, who knows.

Chief F1 Fan

You said "too many drivers from CART to F1" not F1 to CART, otherwise, you'd also have Dan Gurney, and Jimmy Clark in the mix.

Red Rider

I read that also. It seems like his team is wishing he would go for the one year deal. It might be good for him.