Villenuve Could Surprise | FerrariChat

Villenuve Could Surprise

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by Senna1994, Feb 20, 2006.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. Senna1994

    Senna1994 F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 11, 2003
    13,163
    Orange County
    Full Name:
    Anthony T
    From F1-Live

    Jacques Villeneuve could be a surprise package of 2006, according to fellow former Champion Nigel Mansell.

    The 1992 title winner thinks the French Canadian - who lifted F1's big trophy five years later - is capable of again finding the sort of form that put him wheel to wheel with Michael Schumacher throughout '97.

    « Jacques can be extremely fast » 52-year-old Mansell remarked.

    Villeneuve, 34, copped a lot of flak in 2005, as he returned full time to Formula One with Sauber. At the end of 2004, Villeneuve also disappointed observers by failing to get up to speed with a Renault stint.

    But Mansell commented : « If BMW stand fully behind him, I think he could surprise some people. »
     
  2. racerx3317

    racerx3317 F1 Veteran

    Oct 17, 2004
    5,700
    New York, NY
    Full Name:
    Luis
    Wishfull thinking i'd say. JV keeps gettting mopped up by his teammates, i'll believe that he could surprise when i see it.
     
  3. kizdan

    kizdan F1 Veteran

    Dec 31, 2003
    5,505
    I completely agree with Mansell. Granted, JV has his work cut out with Heidfeld as a teammate, so 2006 will be a true test. He has the talent, there's no doubt in my mind. GO JV!
     
  4. Etcetera

    Etcetera Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 7, 2003
    22,179
    Full Name:
    C9H8O4
    Pigs flying, snow in hell, and all that.
     
  5. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    48,581
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    Nick had the upper hand in winter testing.
     
  6. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Nov 26, 2001
    29,386
    E ' ' '/ F
    Full Name:
    Trailer Swift
    Nah, this is DC's year

    :D

    People here know my opinion of JV. I just hope he can stay ahead of the Super Aguri team -- but I wouldn't expect it.
     
  7. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    48,581
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    Apparently you spend too much time with his mother.
     
  8. bretm

    bretm F1 Rookie

    Feb 1, 2001
    4,577
    Northern NJ
    Full Name:
    Bret
    You have to wonder what happened to JV... He won in 97 and then it's like someone shot him, put him out to pasture, fell off a cliff, etc. He's like the boy the world forgot. The Hakkinen/Schumi train came through and that was that.

    Any of you JVers have any insight as to why he fell so hard after his WC?
     
  9. tfazio

    tfazio Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 20, 2004
    1,968
    Michigan
    I think a lot of his downfall had to do with him going to a brand new team. He was well compensated though so I don't feel sorry for him. The car never performed up to expectations. I have always been a JV fan but I think he won't be quick this year. I hope I am wrong though.
     
  10. TheSaint111

    TheSaint111 Karting

    Mar 29, 2005
    134

    Exactly, all BAR's were crap... except the 2004 car, but he was already fired at this point, sadly...!!! I think he could really show some good performances this year especially if you consider all the comments he made about the new car and how much he likes driving the new V8s... (like him or not, he's maybe the last person who really tells the press what he thinks!!!) and keep in mind he is also last "real" champion without all the driving aids and real slicks, he knows how to drive F1 cars!!!
     
  11. F1racer

    F1racer F1 Rookie

    Oct 5, 2003
    4,749
    Laval
    Full Name:
    Jean
    It means nothing...

    For example...last thursday they both did a race simulation. Both drivers ran totally different programs and the race simulations was done with 2 differently setup cars in order to get a maximum amount of data.

    The reason why Nick was so fast was because the team simulated qualy runs with qualy RPM, chosen Michein tyre and adjusted setup.

    Jacques was slower because the work he did required to drive many constant timed laps in a row to get valid data.
    His programme was totally different.

    All these infos come from a guy who works for the BMW-Sauber team.
     
  12. Dubai Vol

    Dubai Vol Formula 3

    Aug 12, 2005
    1,418
    back in Dubai
    Full Name:
    Scot Danner
    Well, I'm one of those optimists who believe that drivers don't lose their ability. Villeneuve first impressed me by being the only driver ever to win the Indianappolis 505. For those who just tuned in, he was penalised two laps over a mix-up with the pace car during an early yelow flag, made up the two laps in subsequent caution periods, and actually completed 505 miles (202 laps) faster than anyone else managed to finish 500 miles. Then he moved to F1 and started his first race from pole and was set to win when the car let him down. And maybe my tinfoil hat is too tight, but I still think that if Frank Williams really meant his claim that there are no team orders, Jacques would have won the driver's title in 1996.

    All that said, I don't really like the guy. I guess I'm a wierdo who can separate appreciation of ability from respect for personality. I would love to see Jacques in competitive machinery, but I'l never root for him.

    Heidfeld, on the other hand, I WILL root for. I think he's better than he is given credit for.
     
  13. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    48,581
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    You're not alone.
     
  14. Goggles Pisano

    Goggles Pisano Karting

    May 22, 2002
    151
    I think Mansell's talking him up just so Villeneuve will eventually join the Grand Prix Masters circuit in 2008.

    But he will finish ahead of Midland F1 and Red Bull Junior Minardi this season.
     
  15. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

    Dec 4, 2004
    14,244
    Nick is too quick to let that happen. I'm hoping JPM will join him in a year or two.
     
  16. smart_alek

    smart_alek Formula Junior

    Jun 12, 2005
    455
    Ontario, Canada
    Full Name:
    Alex
    Actually, you have to be 45 years old or older to be in the GPM series.
     
  17. SRT Mike

    SRT Mike Two Time F1 World Champ

    Oct 31, 2003
    23,343
    Taxachusetts
    Full Name:
    Raymond Luxury Yacht
    There is never any shortage of excuses from the JV fans. When he went to BAR, he sucked because he wasn't used to the car. At Renault, he didnt have any chance to learn the car. At Sauber he had a bad car. When asked why he has always been inferior to his teammate, the answers are that the team gave his teammate preferential treatment, and that the gap wasn't as big as people make out, etc, etc. Basically, what is said about JV is that if everything works just perfectly, he can win. I agree - he got lucky when he won the WC. Everything happened just right and the stars lined up perfectly and thats why he won. He's not a great driver and not a champion on the leven of others. He has done well outside of F1, but so have others. In F1, he is a has-been and an also-ran. He should get out while he still (debatably) has some dignity left.

    One thing I am looking forward to is knowing beyond any doubt that JV is FINISHED in F1 after this season. Thank god!
     
  18. Mr Payne

    Mr Payne F1 Rookie

    Jan 8, 2004
    2,878
    Bakersfield, CA
    Full Name:
    Payne
    Heidfeld is going to crush him. It will be funny.
     
  19. F1racer

    F1racer F1 Rookie

    Oct 5, 2003
    4,749
    Laval
    Full Name:
    Jean
    Did I say anything wrong? I'm just saying what I heard from a BMW Sauber employee.

    JV got lucky? Yes maybe he had a fast car right away but he did not win the title by chance

    This is what Symonds said on JV recently. (Senna1994 did not write it)

    "In those three races for us, he proved to be a very different person from what I'd expected," Symonds explained. "I expected a grungy mind with the grungy look, but instead I found an intelligent guy who works hard. I have a lot of respect for him. He’s shown a lot of tenacity recently. He's clung onto his BMW drive, some people might say against the odds; so I really hope he can pull it back. He's a world champion and that doesn't happen by chance."

    I'll stick with Symonds opinion rather than yours. He must know better.
     
  20. Senna1994

    Senna1994 F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 11, 2003
    13,163
    Orange County
    Full Name:
    Anthony T
    I'm with you. I hope that a guy that won the Indy 500, 11 F1 Wins, 1997 WC, beat HHF, Damon Hill, etc. will have no issue with Heidfeld, who has not won squat. Before you guys start pointing to Jenson "Band Boy" Button, he was favored at BAR due to Dave Richards not being particulary in favor of having JV from the previous regime. And as far as that little twit, Massa, he had been had Sauber long enough and new the team and car, by the end of the season JV had his measure. I don't really give a damn about JV the person, but you guys are all selling him way too short.
     
  21. GoFerrari28

    GoFerrari28 Formula 3

    Jun 16, 2004
    2,313
    Ridgemont, CA
    Full Name:
    Jeff Spicoli
    I remember reading how JV's race engineer at Williams, Jock Clear, used to have major disagreements with JV because JV would want to set up each corner of the car with different suspension settings, and FW, Patrick head and Jock would try to dictate to him his car setup. JV prevailed and the Williams crew were very impressed with his ability to set up his car. Theswitch to MechaChrome in '98 was a real killer and that was what drove him to g along with the creation of BAR. Even at Sauber, he was not permitted to set up the car in such a way that he was comfortable driving it. I think with all the testing he has been doing and the committment from BMW after 6 years of working on their engine programme, that the factory team will do well and JV will perform very well.
     
  22. Mr Payne

    Mr Payne F1 Rookie

    Jan 8, 2004
    2,878
    Bakersfield, CA
    Full Name:
    Payne
    At the end of the day he couldn't beat Button or Massa. Two drivers who are good, but not great. That's right where I put JV, good but not great.
     
  23. b-mak

    b-mak F1 Veteran

    Right. Which of these three has the credentials again?
     
  24. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    48,581
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    Easy there. You're talking about my new favourite Ferrari driver.
     
  25. Etcetera

    Etcetera Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 7, 2003
    22,179
    Full Name:
    C9H8O4
    Yeah, yeah! Massa is the new go two guy!
     

Share This Page