Jacques Villeneuve
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Jacques Joseph Charles Villeneuve (Template:IPA; born 9 April 1971) is a Canadian former racing driver, who competed in IndyCar from 1994 to 1995, and Formula One from Template:F1 to Template:F1. Villeneuve won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in Template:F1 with Williams, and won 11 Grands Prix across 11 seasons. In American open-wheel racing, Villeneuve won the IndyCar World Series and the Indianapolis 500 in 1995 with Team Green.
Born in Quebec and raised in Monaco, Villeneuve is the son of former Formula One driver Gilles Villeneuve and the nephew of racing driver Jacques-Joseph. Aged 17, he began racing under an Andorran license in Italy, progressing to Italian Formula Three a year later. He then moved to the higher-tier Toyota Atlantic Championship, participating in one race during the 1992 season and finishing third overall in the 1993 championship. He began competing in Championship Auto Racing Teams with the Forsythe/Green Racing team in the 1994 season, finishing sixth in the Drivers' Championship with one victory and earning Rookie of the Year and Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year honours. In the following year with the renamed Team Green, Villeneuve won four races (including the Indianapolis 500) and the Drivers' Championship.
Villeneuve moved to Williams in Formula One for the 1996 season, claiming four Grand Prix victories, and becoming the first rookie runner-up in the World Drivers' Championship (WDC) after a season-long duel with teammate Damon Hill. His main title challenge for the following season came from Ferrari's Michael Schumacher, and Villeneuve beat the latter following a controversial collision at the season-ending Template:F1GP, becoming the first Canadian World Drivers' Champion, achieving seven Grand Prix victories. He finished fifth in the 1998 season achieving two podiums and helped Williams finish third in the World Constructors' Championship behind Ferrari and McLaren. After an unsuccessful Template:F1 with British American Racing (BAR), Villeneuve finished seventh in the WDC in both Template:F1 and Template:F1 with BAR, achieving two podiums in 2001, outscoring his teammates Ricardo Zonta and Olivier Panis. Villeneuve raced in Formula One from Template:F1 to 2006, driving for BAR, Renault, Sauber, and BMW Sauber, but he did not achieve any further success.
Villeneuve left Formula One mid-way through the 2006 season and began competing in various forms of motor racing such as sports car racing, NASCAR, and touring car racing. Though not as successful in these forms of racing, he won the 2008 1000 km of Spa driving for Peugeot. Villeneuve was appointed Officer of the National Order of Quebec in 1998. He was voted the winner of both the Lou Marsh Trophy and the Lionel Conacher Award in each of 1995 and 1997. Villeneuve is an inductee of the Canadian Motor Sports Hall of Fame, Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, and the FIA Hall of Fame.
Early life
[edit]On 9 April 1971, Villeneuve was born in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu,<ref name="BrittanicaBio">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref name="CEBio">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> a small town outside of Montreal in the Canadian province of Quebec.<ref name="F1HOFBio">Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Sfn<ref name="McLean1997Profile">Template:Cite journal</ref> He is the son of snowmobile and future Ferrari racer Gilles Villeneuve and his wife Joann Barthe.<ref name=OCProfile1995>Template:Cite news</ref> Villeneuve has a sister, Melanie, and a half sister Jessica.Template:Sfn His uncle, Jacques Sr., whom he was named after also competed in motor racing.Template:Sfn Villeneuve spent most of his formative years travelling with the racing fraternity with his parents.<ref name="BrittanicaBio" />
Aged seven in 1978, Villeneuve and his family relocated from Berthierville, Quebec,<ref name="McLean1997Profile" /><ref name="Maclean's1995">Template:Cite journal</ref> to the small principality of Monaco on the French Riviera in France's south-east coast close to the border with Italy to be nearer to Ferrari's headquarters.Template:Sfn<ref name="McLean1997Profile" /> On the advice of driver Patrick Tambay,<ref name="F1R2014Interview" /> Villeneuve was sent to the French-speaking Swiss private boarding Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil by his mother, which he attended from the ages of 12 (1983) to 17 (1988).Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn He excelled in skiing and experimented with BASE jumping, ice hockey, motocross and water skiing.<ref name="Bartels1995" /> Villeneuve left the school by mutual consent between his mother and the school owners.Template:Sfn
Early racing career
[edit]Villeneuve's mother was aware from when he was five that he wanted to race,<ref name="JV2017Interview">Template:Cite journal</ref> and he went go-karting with his uncle several times in Canada.Template:Sfn In May 1982, his father died in an accident with Jochen Mass during qualifying for the Template:F1GP at Circuit Zolder. Jacques became less interested in motor racing after that, fearing the sport's dangers.<ref name="OCProfile1995" />Template:Sfn In 1984, he asked his mother if he could do motor racing like his father. Villeneuve's mother agreed to let him race on the condition he improved his academic performance in one of his weakest subjects, mathematics.Template:Sfn Though his mother preferred him to do a course in aerodynamic or mechanical engineering,Template:Sfn she did not discourage her son from pursuing racing.<ref name="OCProfile1995" /> In early September 1985, Villeneuve was invited by a SAGIS employee to race in 100 cc go-kart at Italy's Imola Circuit. He impressed the track owners so much that they let him test a 135 cc kart and then a Formula 4 car.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn In July 1986, his uncle enrolled him in the Jim Russell Racing Driver School in Mont Tremblant,Template:Efn where he passed a three-day course driving a Formula Ford 1600 car from Van Diemen.Template:EfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn
In mid-1987, Villeneuve left his family to attend the Spenard-David Racing School in Shannonville, Ontario to hone his abilities under Richard Spenard.Template:Sfn<ref name=OCProfile1995/>Template:Sfn Villeneuve did not have the money to pay for the course and his mother would not fund it because she thought Jacques finishing his education was more important. He worked in a mechanics' training programme allowing students to learn racing in return for garage painting.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Aged 17, Villeneuve was invited to make his car racing debut in the Italian Touring Car Championship,<ref name="JV2017Interview" /> driving a Salerno Course-entered Group N Alfa Romeo 33 car for three rounds of the 1988 season. The Canadian and Italian authorities would not grant him a licence since he was a year younger than their minimum age requirement, so he obtained an international racing licence in Andorra with Canadian Automobile Sport Clubs aid.Template:EfnTemplate:Sfn Villeneuve performed poorly in each of the three rounds.Template:Sfn
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Villeneuve went on to sign a three-year contract to drive a Reynard-Alfa Romeo car for Prema in the Italian Formula Three Championship, a deal that was aided by the squad obtaining sponsorship from the Camel cigarette company.Template:Efn Initially struggling to drive a Formula 3 car, he enrolled at the Magione Driving School. Under Henry Morrogh's direction, he gradually developed his character and driving technique. Villeneuve did not qualify five times, failed to finish three of the eleven races, and scored no points. In the 1990 season, he qualified for each of the 12 rounds and scored ten points for 14th in the Drivers' Championship.Template:EfnTemplate:Sfn Villeneuve was considered a title favourite for the 1991 championship. A late-season switch to the Ralt RT35 chassis failed to improve his performance, but he still finished sixth overall with 20 points and 3 podiums.<ref name="MMagBio" />Template:Sfn In late 1991, Villeneuve finished eighth in both the Macau Grand Prix and the Formula 3 Fuji Cup.Template:Sfn
Dissatisfied with his management in 1991,<ref name="FPJun1995" /> Villeneuve asked former Beausoleil sports administrator and motor racing promoter Craig Pollock to take over his management three times.<ref name="OCProfile1995" />Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn For the 1992 season, he wanted to compete in Formula 3000 in Europe with Prema,Template:Sfn but did not have the funding to compete with the top teams.Template:Sfn Villeneuve accepted an offer to relocate to Japan and drive a Toyota 032F car for the TOM'S squad in the Japanese Formula 3 Championship in 1992 following advice from Tambay. He felt the Japanese series was almost as good as the Italian one, and he did not want to remain in Europe. Villeneuve was the only driver to receive works support from TOM'S, and he got driver training. He won three races and finished no lower than sixth nine times, earning second in the Drivers' Championship and 45 points.Template:Sfn People in the racing world observed that ten years after his father's death, Villeneuve was becoming a well-known racer.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn In August, Pollock negotiated a contract for Villeneuve to enter the Formula Atlantic street event at Trois-Rivières in the 1992 Atlantic Championship.<ref name="Bartels1995">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He finished third in the No. 49 Swift DB4-Toyota car lent by the ComPred team.Template:Sfn<ref name="AtlanticResults">Template:Cite web</ref> In addition, he also tested a Group C Toyota that year and was mentored by driver Roland Ratzenberger.<ref name="F1R2014Interview" />
Four months later, Villeneuve accepted an invite to share a TOM'S-entered Toyota TS010 car with Eddie Irvine and Tom Kristensen at the final round of the 1992 All Japan Sports Prototype Car Endurance Championship at Mine Circuit, finishing fourth. He was fourth at the Macau Grand Prix for TOM'S.Template:Sfn In Trois-Rivières, Villeneuve met crew chief Barry Green who wanted a driver for his new Forsythe-Green Racing squad.<ref name="Bartels1995" /> He accepted a three-year contract from Green with personal sponsorship from sports marketing arm Player's November 1992.<ref name="Maclean's1995" /><ref name="FPJun1995" />Template:Sfn He raced the lower-tier 1993 Atlantic Championship which featured more powerful cars with more grip and downforce to become better acquainted with American open-wheel racing before progressing to Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) in 1994.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Villeneuve built a close working relationship with aerodynamicist Tony Cicale.Template:Sfn Driving the No. 10 Ralt RT40-Toyota car, Villeneuve won five races and finished in the top three four times for third overall and 185 points after a season-long duel with David Empringham and teammate Claude Bourbonnais.<ref name="MMagBio" /><ref name=AtlanticResults/>Template:Sfn He was named the series' Rookie of the Year,<ref name="BrittanicaBio" /> and ended 1993 retiring from the Macau Grand Prix driving a March Racing Ralt 93C-Fiat car.Template:Sfn
CART (1994–1995)
[edit]
Villeneuve began participating in CART in the 1994 season for Forsythe-Green Racing, driving the No. 12 Reynard 94I-Ford XB vehicle after Green obtained sponsorship.Template:Efn<ref name=IndyResults>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Sfn He debuted at the season-opening Australian FAI Indycar Grand Prix at Surfers Paradise Street Circuit, starting eighth and finishing 17th after colliding with Stefan Johansson. In the season's next round, the Valvoline 200 at Phoenix International Raceway, he was involved in a five-car accident which saw him sustain a side collision with Hiro Matsushita before being struck by Dominic Dobson. Qualifying fourth for his first Indianapolis 500, Villeneuve finished second, earning Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year honors as the highest-finishing rookie.<ref name="FPJun1995">Template:Cite journal</ref>Template:Sfn Villeneuve finished ninth or higher in six of the next nine rounds,Template:Sfn before beating Al Unser Jr. and Emerson Fittipaldi in the close finish to the Texaco/Havoline 200 at Road America road course in his first CART victory.Template:Sfn He placed seventh and third in the final two rounds ending the year with Rookie of the Year honors and was sixth in the Drivers' Championship with 94 points.<ref name=IndyResults/>Template:Sfn
Before the 1995 season, Villeneuve rejected offers from fellow CART teams and some Formula One (F1) squads and remained at the renamed Team Green driving the renumbered No. 27 Reynard 95I-Ford XB.<ref name=IndyResults/>Template:Sfn Before the season, Villeneuve and his team were concerned, as their car had been unreliable and under-performed in pre-season testing.<ref name="FPJun1995" />Template:Sfn He won the season-opening Grand Prix of Miami after starting eighth, but he only finished two of the next four races. His season highlight was the Indianapolis 500. Though Villeneuve was penalised two laps for overtaking the pace car, he re-took the lead after fellow Canadian Scott Goodyear failed to serve a ten-second stop-and-go penalty for also passing the pace car. Winning just his second Indianapolis 500 start, Villeneuve took the Drivers' Championship lead. Villeneuve went on to win both the Texaco/Havoline 200 at Road America and the Grand Prix of Cleveland, also scoring points in all but one of the remaining rounds to clinch the title at the final race in Laguna Seca.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn He won the championship with 172 points, four victories and six pole positions.Template:Efn<ref name=IndyResults/>
Formula One career
[edit]Williams (1996–1998)
[edit]In early 1995, the Williams F1 team and engine supplier Renault became interested in Villeneuve replacing the outgoing David Coulthard. Bernie Ecclestone, F1's commercial rights holder, saw this as an opportunity to lure Villeneuve from CART even though Team Green wanted him to remain in America.<ref name=StatsF195>Template:Cite web</ref> Technical director Patrick Head and team principal Frank Williams gave Villeneuve a test in a FW17 car at Britain's Silverstone Circuit in August 1995. He lapped two seconds slower than driver Damon Hill.Template:EfnTemplate:Sfn Negotiations between Villeneuve's representatives in mid-1995 led to Villeneuve signing a contract for 1996 and 1997 with the option for the 1998 season.<ref name=StatsF195/>Template:Sfn He was sent by Frank Williams to cover Template:Convert in testing during the six-month pre-season period testing on permanent European racing circuits,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn and he also prepared by learning the circuits on a simulation computer game.Template:Sfn
1996
[edit]
Villeneuve drove the docile FW18 car equipped with a powerful, reliable Renault engine and a better gearbox.Template:Sfn<ref name="Sportsworld" /> Villeneuve built up a rapport with his race engineer Jock Clear and learnt from his teammate Hill.<ref name="F1R2014Interview" /><ref name="JV2017Interview" /> Although not considered a title favourite by the media,Template:Sfn he contended for the World Drivers' Championship with Hill but never led the standings. Villeneuve's debut at the season-opening Template:F1GP saw him become the third driver ever to claim pole position on his first start,Template:Sfn and despite an oil leak, he finished second.<ref name="Sportsworld">Template:Cite journal</ref> He beat Ferrari's Michael Schumacher in the Template:F1GP three races later for his maiden F1 victory.Template:Sfn Villeneuve scored points in eight of the next eleven events and won the Template:F1GP, the Template:F1GP and the Template:F1GP.Template:Sfn Entering the season-ending Template:F1GP, he had nine fewer points than Hill, requiring him to win the event and for Hill to score no points to claim the title;Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn however, Villeneuve's right-rear tyre came off his car, forcing him to retire from the race. He finished runner-up to Hill in the drivers' standings with 78 points in his maiden season.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Villeneuve was the first rookie to achieve four Grand Prix victories in his debut year and the first to finish runner-up overall.Template:EfnTemplate:Sfn
1997
[edit]
Before the 1997 season, Williams did not re-sign Hill who moved to the Arrows team, resulting in Villeneuve's promotion to lead driver. He was paired with Heinz-Harald Frentzen.Template:Sfn<ref name=USA1997>Template:Cite news</ref> He and Schumacher vied for that year's World Drivers' Championship and variously shared the title lead.Template:Sfn Villeneuve trained extensively and drove an aerodynamically efficient and powerful FW19 car designed around him.<ref name="JV2017Interview" />Template:Sfn He won seven Template:Not a typo and qualified on pole position eight times in the first 14 races. At the season's penultimate race, the Template:F1GP, he had a chance to win the championship but was banned for overtaking under yellow flag conditions twice during practice. He was allowed to race under appeal but was disqualified from fifth when the appeal was rejected.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Before the season-ending Template:F1GP, Villeneuve had 77 points, one fewer than Schumacher, requiring him to finish in the top six and ahead of Schumacher to win the championship.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During qualifying, Villeneuve, Schumacher and Frentzen all set the exact same lap time, but Villeneuve started from pole position per F1 regulations because he was the first driver to set the time. Villeneuve and Schumacher were involved in a collision that saw Schumacher careen into a gravel trap, giving the title to Villeneuve.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Villeneuve became the second driver (after Mario Andretti) to win the F1 World Championship, the CART title, and the Indianapolis 500. He was also Canada's first F1 World Champion.Template:Sfn
1998
[edit]Villeneuve threatened to leave F1 and return to CART if F1 introduced grooved tyres and narrower cars for the 1998 season.<ref name="McLean1997Profile" /><ref name=USA1997/> Though these changes were adopted, he remained at Williams with Frentzen. Villeneuve's FW20 car had one-year old Mecachrome-branded engines after Renault's withdrawal from F1 after the 1997 season, which transpired to be noncompetitive.<ref name="JV2017Interview" />Template:Sfn He scored points at nine Template:Not a typo with season-high third place finishes at the Template:F1GP and the Template:F1GP. During practice for the Template:F1GP, he lost control of his car in Eau Rouge corner and crashed backwards into the barrier at approximately Template:Convert. Villeneuve was unhurt.Template:Sfn With 21 points, he finished fifth in the Drivers' Championship.Template:Sfn
British American Racing (1999–2003)
[edit]Villeneuve left Williams following the 1998 season. McLaren technical director Adrian Newey, who liked Villeneuve's performance and who Villeneuve respected, offered him employment for the 1999 season, but Villeneuve rejected it.<ref name=AH2016>Template:Cite journal</ref> He instead signed a contract to drive with the new British American Racing (BAR) team founded by Pollock and British American Tobacco following their late 1997 purchase of the financially struggling Tyrrell team. Villeneuve joined the team because he sought to emulate Schumacher's style of basing a team around him and employing highly skilled people to get from the bottom of the running order to the top.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1999–2000
[edit]
Villeneuve was joined at BAR by former McLaren test driver Ricardo Zonta for most of the season and then by Mika Salo for three Template:Not a typo. His BAR 01 car was efficient and fast but chronically unreliable.Template:Sfn<ref name="ARD1999">Template:Cite journal</ref> He failed to finish each of the first eleven races due to either mechanical trouble or crashing.Template:Sfn Villeneuve was only able to finish four Grands Prix with a best finish of eighth at the Template:F1 GP.Template:Sfn Villeneuve qualified a season-high fifth at the Template:F1 GP and was briefly third in the Template:F1 GP two events later before retiring.<ref name="ARD1999" /> During qualifying for the Template:F1 GP, he suffered a high-speed crash through Eau Rouge corner, which destroyed his car but left him uninjured. He tallied no points towards the Drivers' Championship.Template:Sfn
For the 2000 season, his BAR 002 car had a more reliable and powerful works Honda engine, and Zonta was again his teammate.<ref name="MMagBio" />Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Villeneuve finished fourth at the season-opening Template:F1GP and scored two more points by placing fifth at the Template:F1GP two races later. He also finished fourth at the Template:F1GP, the Template:F1GP and the Template:F1GP. Villeneuve scored points in the final two races by finishing sixth at the Template:F1GP and fifth at the Template:F1GP.Template:Sfn Overall, his performances had improved from 1999 due to a better built and more reliable car.Template:Sfn Villeneuve finished the season seventh in the Drivers' Championship with 17 points.Template:Sfn
2001–2003
[edit]
There were rumours of Villeneuve leaving the BAR team after 2000.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> He talked to Benetton, Ferrari and McLaren about racing with them in the 2001 championship.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=Times2000>Template:Cite news</ref> Villeneuve later admitted McLaren was not an option since his management team got accused of conducting early season publicity and he disliked McLaren's corporate methodology.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Villeneuve also considered taking a sabbatical,<ref name=Times2000/> but he ultimately signed a three-year contract extension with BAR in July 2000.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He obtained a get-out clause enabling him to leave BAR should they under-perform.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Villeneuve was joined by Olivier Panis, and the 003 car he drove was approximately Template:Convert lighter than the 002 chassis.Template:Sfn Villeneuve was cordial with his teammate since they could talk to each other in French, and set himself the goal of winning a race and finishing third in the Drivers' Championship. His car was fairly reliable but lacked rear grip and straight-line speed due to an underpowered Honda engine.Template:Sfn At the season-opening Template:F1 GP, Villeneuve struck the rear of Ralf Schumacher's car, launching him into the air. One of Villeneuve's car's wheels struck marshal Graham Beveridge, killing him.<ref name="MMagBio" /> Villeneuve achieved BAR's first two podium results, finishing third at both the Template:F1GP and the Template:F1GP. He finished the season seventh in the Drivers' Championship with 12 points.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Although he scored five fewer points than the year before, Villeneuve qualified higher than Panis eleven times in 2001.Template:Sfn
Before the 2002 season Villeneuve remained at BAR.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He talked to team principal Flavio Briatore,<ref name="F1R2014Interview" /> who offered him a seat at Renault in lieu of Jenson Button but Villeneuve rejected it.<ref name="JV2017Interview" />Template:Sfn Villeneuve ultimately opted to remain at BAR due to pressure from Honda, and he again partnered with Panis.Template:Sfn He became uncomfortable when new BAR team principal David Richards publicly mentioned that money spent on Villeneuve's high salary could be better used for research and development. The BAR 004 chassis proved to be more unreliable than the year before and slower due to an under-powered Honda engine. He scored four points for 12th in the Drivers' Championship with a fourth place at the Template:F1GP being his season's best result.Template:Sfn Villeneuve regretted remaining at BAR due to the lack of results,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and he was offered a contract to join Team Player's in CART for the 2003 championship before returning to BAR for the 2004 and 2005 F1 seasons. The deal was pushed by Richards but not agreed upon because Villeneuve's and Pollock's financial settlements were too great for team owner Gerald Forsythe to be willing to take on.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Villeneuve decided to remain at BAR for the 2003 season, and was partnered with Button. Villeneuve's BAR 005 car had a more powerful but bulky Honda engine.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn He initially had a poor relationship with Button, not speaking to him and saying that Button "should be in a boy band".Template:Sfn Their relationship did not improve after the season-opening Template:F1GP when Villeneuve was due to make a pit stop but drove an additional lap when Button was due to make his, leaving Button stationary behind Villeneuve. Although he blamed it on "radio problems", Button and Richards hinted their disbelief in his execution.Template:Sfn Villeneuve was outperformed by his teammate and retired eight times due to mechanical faults. He finished sixth at both the Template:F1GP and the Template:F1GP. Before the season-ending Template:F1GP, Villeneuve was informed by Richards he was no longer needed. He was replaced by test driver Takuma Sato.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn He was 16th in the Drivers' Championship with 6 points.Template:Sfn
Renault and Sauber (2004–2006)
[edit]_qualifying_at_US_Grand_Prix_2005.jpg){kind=link}
Villeneuve took a sabbatical after BAR released him.Template:Sfn He thought of taking up NASCAR as a new challenge, but no teams approached him.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After speaking to senior officials from BAR and Williams, Villeneuve believed that they would want to resign him to their respective teams, but neither move occurred.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn When he realised no competitive team would employ him,Template:Sfn he and Pollock met Sauber team owner Peter Sauber in Hinwil in mid-2004.Template:Sfn Impressed with Sauber's professionalism,Template:Sfn he signed a two-year contract the next month to drive for Sauber from the 2005 season and help them attract new sponsors and partners.Template:Sfn
Before his tenure at Sauber began, Villeneuve was employed by Briatore to help Renault claim second from BAR in the World Constructors' Championship by scoring the maximum number of points in the 2004 season's final three races following the dismissal of Jarno Trulli for performing poorly.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Sauber was comfortable in letting Villeneuve drive for Renault because both teams used Michelin tyres.<ref name="F1R2014Interview">Template:Cite journal</ref> Driving the R24 car, he finished all three events but under-performed and was lapped each time. Villeneuve scored no points and was unclassified in the Drivers' Championship.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
At Sauber, Villeneuve used a C24 chassis and was teammates with Felipe Massa. A lack of both pre-season testing and money for car development caused Villeneuve to have a difficult handling car.Template:Sfn He did not have a good relationship with the team because he was not allowed to give feedback on car setup due to Willy Rampf's influence.<ref name="F1R2014Interview" /><ref name="JV2017Interview" /> Villeneuve finished a season-high fourth at the Template:F1GP and scored more points in eighth at the Template:F1GP and sixth at the Template:F1GP.Template:EfnTemplate:Sfn He was 14th in the Drivers' Championship with 9 points.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
For the 2006 championship, Villeneuve stayed at the renamed BMW Sauber after BMW purchased the team. Nick Heidfeld was his teammate. The atmosphere within the team made Villeneuve content, and he was happy with BMW's involvement. He found the less electronically dependent and less refined aerodynamically F1.06 car more driveable. Team principal Mario Theissen criticised Villeneuve for not achieving decent results, thus failing to please BMW's board of directors.Template:Sfn Despite retiring three times, he accumulated 7 points from the first 11 races, ranking him 15th in the Drivers' Championship.<ref name="MMagBio" />Template:Sfn At the Template:F1GP, Villeneuve sustained muscle pains in an accident exiting a corner. Shortly afterward, Theissen terminated his contract and replaced him with Robert Kubica.Template:Sfn He did not want to be part of a shootout between himself and Kubica,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and saw his release as a precursor to his future, saying "Screw this, It's time to get on with the rest of my life."<ref name="F1HOFBio" /> Villeneuve twice failed to return to F1, first with Stefan Grand Prix in the 2010 season, then with his team in partnership with Durango for the following year.<ref name=MMagBio>Template:Cite web</ref>
Post Formula One career
[edit]2007–2010
[edit]
Villeneuve explored NASCAR after exiting F1, talking to Roush Racing owner Jack Roush who agreed to help Villeneuve obtain Truck Series experience before progressing to the Busch Series in 2007 on the condition of a sponsorship agreement.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Before that, he made his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut with Peugeot in the 2007 edition informing team manager Serge Saulnier that he wanted to complete the Triple Crown of Motorsport.Template:Efn<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sharing the Le Mans Prototype 1 (LMP1)-class No. 7 Peugeot 908 HDi FAP car with Marc Gené and Nicolas Minassian, Villeneuve retired after 338 laps with engine injection trouble.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=RSCResults>Template:Cite web</ref> He entered into a partnership with Bill Davis Racing (BDR) to enter the 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series' last seven events in its No. 27 Toyota Tundra in anticipation of racing full-time in 2008.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Villeneuve finished outside the top ten in all seven events for 42nd overall with 615 points.<ref name=2007Trucks>Template:Cite web</ref> That same year, he drove two races in the Nextel Cup Series (the UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega Superspeedway and the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix) in BDR's No. 27 Toyota,Template:Efn finishing 21st and 41st respectively.<ref name=2007Nextel>Template:Cite web</ref>
Villeneuve and Pollock agreed to end their working relationship in early 2008, and Barry Green began managing him. That February, BDR released Villeneuve, who failed to qualify for the Daytona 500 of the renamed Sprint Cup Series after causing a multi-car accident in the Gatorade Duels.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Two months later, he raced the final two rounds of the inaugural season of the Middle East and Southeast Asian-based stock car Speedcar Series at the Bahrain International Circuit and the Dubai Autodrome.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Villeneuve then won the 2008 1000 km of Spa (part of the Le Mans Series) for Peugeot with Gené and Minassian in his first race victory in 11 years.<ref name="MMagBio" /> Although he finished second in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, sharing Peugeot's No. 7 LMP1 entry with Gené and Minassian,<ref name="RSCResults" /> he was released a month later because Peugeot wanted a French driver.<ref name="JV2017Interview" /> In August, Villeneuve signed a contract to make his Nationwide Series debut driving Braun Racing's No. 32 Toyota Camry in the NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> finishing 16th.<ref name=2008Nationwide>Template:Cite web</ref> He also came 16th at the Autódromo Oscar y Juan Gálvez round of Top Race V6 Argentina aboard Oro Racing Team's No. 27 Volkswagen Passat TRV6.<ref>Template:Cite web
Template:Cite web</ref>
Villeneuve returned to the Speedcar Series in the 2008–09 season driving for Durango.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Competing in five races, he finished in the top ten three times, scoring seven points for 11th in the Drivers' Championship.<ref name=DBOverview>Template:Cite web</ref> In mid-2009, Villeneuve partook in the Tide 250 at Autodrome Saint-Eustache and the GP3R 100 at Circuit Trois-Rivières of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series for the Jacombs Racing Team in its No. 7 Ford Fusion,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> finishing fourth at Trois-Rivieres.<ref name=2009Canada>Template:Cite web</ref> For the first and only time, Villeneuve entered the Spa 24 Hours in 2009. He shared Gravity Racing International's G2 category No. 118 Mosler MT900R GT3 with Vincent Radermecker, Loris de Sordi and Ho-Pin Tung. The trio failed to finish.<ref name="RSCResults" /> He drove the No. 27 Mercedes TRV6 at the Interlagos Circuit and Autódromo Oscar y Juan Gálvez rounds of Top Race V6 Argentina,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> achieving a best finish of 13th in Buenos Aires.<ref name="DBOverview" /> He made one appearance in the 2009 Nationwide Series, finishing fourth at the NAPA Auto Parts 200 in Braun Racing's No. 32 car.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=2009Nationwide>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2010, Villeneuve ran the Nationwide Series road courses at Road America, Watkins Glen and Montreal in Braun Racing's No. 32 vehicle.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He finished eighth at Watkins Glen before claiming third at Montreal, where he started second.<ref name=2010Nationwide>Template:Cite web</ref> In mid-season, Villeneuve entered the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway finishing 29th in Braun Racing's No. 32 car.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=2010Sprint>Template:Cite web</ref> Villeneuve joined Rod Nash Racing as Paul Dumbrell's international co-driver in its No. 55 Ford FG Falcon for the Gold Coast 600 double header in October 2010 and sought advice from driver Marcos Ambrose on touring car racing.Template:Efn<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He finished 22nd in the first race and fifth in the second.<ref name=2010Supercars>Template:Cite web</ref> Ford motorsport manager Chris Styring considered Villeneuve for the Bathurst 1000, the L&H 500 and the Gold Coast 600 in the 2011 International V8 Supercars Championship, but Villeneuve's financial demands were too great for Ford.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
2011–present
[edit]
Villeneuve drove the Road America and Montreal road course races of the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series for Penske Racing in its No. 22 Dodge Challenger in lieu of Brad Keselowski.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He finished the Road America race third and qualified on pole position for the Montreal event but finished 27th despite leading 29 laps.<ref name=2011Nationwide>Template:Cite web</ref> In August 2011, he joined Shell V-Power Racing for the Stock Car Corrida do Milhão for the 2011 championship of Stock Car Brasil despite concerns about adapting to his car.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Driving the No. 27 Peugeot 408,<ref name="DBOverview" /> Villeneuve qualified 27th and finished 18th.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was employed by Penske to drive its No. 22 car at the Road America and Montreal road course races in the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Villeneuve finished sixth at Road America and third at Montreal.<ref name=2012Nationwide>Template:Cite web</ref> During the 2012 International V8 Supercars Championship, he filled in for the injured Greg Murphy for three rounds in Kelly Racing's No. 51 Holden Commodore,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> finishing no higher than 24th.<ref name=2012Supercars>Template:Cite web</ref> He finished seventh sharing Vita4One's No. 34 BMW Z4 GT3 with Jos Verstappen at the City Challenge Baku GT event in October.<ref name="RSCResults" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
When Villeneuve expressed interest in the International V8 Supercars Championship, he was considered for a full-time seat at Kelly Racing in the 2013, but no agreement was reached.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> For the first and only time, he partook in the Le Mans double header counting towards the 2013 season of the FFSA GT Championship, sharing the No. 27 Sport Garage-entered Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 with Éric Cayrolle.<ref name="RSCResults" />Template:Efn The duo finished 11th in the first race and retired from the next.Template:Efn<ref name="RSCResults" /> Midway through the season, Villeneuve was hired by car owner James Finch to drive the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway in the Sprint Cup Series for Phoenix Racing in its No. 51 Chevrolet SS, finishing 41st due to mechanical trouble after 19 laps.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Later that year, he finished fifth in the Grand Prix de Trois Rivieres (part of the Canadian Tire Series) in 22 Racing's Dodge Challenger.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013Canadian>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2014, Villeneuve signed to drive an Albatec Racing-prepared Peugeot 208 Supercar part-time in the FIA World Rallycross Championship's inaugural season.<ref name=WRX2014>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=TG2014>Template:Cite web</ref> He chose to do rallycross because he felt it was exciting for both drivers and spectators.<ref name=TG2014/> In seven races, Villeneuve scored eight points for 37th in the Drivers' Championship.<ref name=2014WRXStandings>Template:Cite web</ref> He was released before the season ended due to non-supportive statements he made concerning his team and rallycross.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Villeneuve entered the Indianapolis 500 for the first time in 19 years, driving Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports' No. 5 Dallara DW12-Honda third car entry.Template:Efn<ref name="IndyResults" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Though he had not planned to return to American open-wheel racing, he changed his mind after the 2012 introduction of a new car and engine formula.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He qualified 27th and finished 14th.<ref name="IndyResults" /> In August, Villeneuve finished 24th in Jacombs' No. 7 Dodge at Canadian Tire Series' Grand Prix de Trois Rivieres.<ref name=2014Canadian>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
.JPG){kind=link}
Villeneuve accepted an invitation to enter 2015 Stock Car Brasil's season-opening Autódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna round alongside Zonta in Shell Racing's No. 10 Chevrolet Sonic, placing 21st.<ref name="DBOverview" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He signed a contract to replace Heidfeld and partner with Stéphane Sarrazin at Venturi Grand Prix in the 2015–16 season of the all-electric Formula E series.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Villeneuve had observed Formula E intently throughout 2014, admiring its bumpy city tracks. Guido Pastor called him to test a car, after which he got selected to drive.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Villeneuve finished outside the top ten in the first two races and failed to start the Punta del Este ePrix due to an accident during qualifying.<ref name=FEOverview>Template:Cite web</ref> His relationship with Venturi cooled thereafter and they agreed to terminate their working relationship early in January 2016.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Villeneuve signed a one-race agreement to return to rallycross in the 2018 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He drove a Subaru Rally Team USA-entered WRX STi Supercar at the World RX of Canada (part of the Americas Rallycross Championship).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He failed to qualify for the final following two accidents sustained during the second semi-final.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
For the 2019 season, Villeneuve shared Scuderia Baldini 27's GT3 Pro-class No. 27 Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo with Giancarlo Fisichella and Stefano Gai in the Italian GT Championship, finishing fourth at the 3 Hours of Misano and second at the 3 Hours of Vallelunga.<ref name="RSCResults" /><ref name="DBOverview" /> He raced as a guest driver at the Ring Knutstorp and Karlskoga Motorstadion rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia in a MTech Competition-entered Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, placing in the top ten in the second race of both rounds.<ref>Template:Cite web
Template:Cite web</ref> That year, he made his debut in NASCAR Whelen Euro Series in the Elite 1 Division. Villeneuve drove the No. 32 Go Fas Racing Chevrolet, finishing the season eighth in points with 431 scored, two pole positions and seven top-tens.<ref name=2019Whelen>Template:Cite web</ref> For the 2020 season, he entered that year's Whelen Euro Series with FEED Vict Racing, a team owned by him and Patrick Lemarié.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Driving four rounds in the No. 5 car, he achieved two top fives for 104 points (21st overall) in the Elite 1 Division.<ref name="MMagBio" /><ref name="2020Whelen">Template:Cite web</ref> He drove Academy Motorsport's No. 5 car in the 2021 Whelen Euro Series,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> achieving his first two series victories in both races of the season's final round at Vallelunga,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and scoring 331 points for ninth in the points standings with two wins and four top-ten finishes.<ref name=2021NASCAR>Template:Cite web</ref> He left the series after the season was over to focus on his F1 commentary commitments.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
For 2022, Villeneuve returned to the NASCAR Cup Series as a part-time driver of the non-chartered No. 27 Team Hezeberg Ford.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He aimed to assist Team Hezeberg in the launch of its Cup Series programme and he consented to assist with their effort in the Daytona 500.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Villeneuve qualified for the race as of the fastest of the open non-charter teams; starting from 40th, he finished the race in 22nd after an early-race half-spin and a subsequent collision with Tyler Reddick.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In August, he failed to start the NASCAR Pinty's Series' Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières in the No. 7 Dumoulin Competition-prepared Dodge after accepting an offer by Festidrag Développement president Martin D'Anjou to enter the race.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
For 2023, Villeneuve entered the first three rounds of the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship alongside Tom Dillmann and Esteban Guerrieri in the Floyd Vanwall Racing Team's No. 4 non-hybrid Vanwall Vandervell 680-Gibson in the LMH category, although he was noncompetitive and was replaced by Tristan Vautier for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He subsequently withdrew from the team for the rest of the season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Non-racing ventures and personal life
[edit]Villeneuve began writing lyrics while he was driving in Japan,Template:Sfn and purchased a guitar in 1996.<ref name="DT2007" /> When he became uncertain whether he would remain at Sauber for the 2006 F1 season in November 2005,<ref name="AutosportMusic">Template:Cite web</ref> he elected to rent a professional recording studio in Paris in order to better hear his music. Travelling to England to record with the Tenebrae Choir,<ref name="DT2007" /> Villeneuve recorded nearly every day for a month before stopping to prioritise motor racing.<ref name="AutosportMusic" /> That same year, he released his debut French single, "Accepterais-tu",<ref name="DT2007" /> and an acoustic rock album Private Paradise with 13 songs (nine in French and four in English) in 2007.<ref name="DT2007">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Phillips2007">Template:Cite news</ref> Six songs each were written by Villeneuve and his friends; he also performed a cover of Women Come, Women Go by Gazebo.<ref name="Phillips2007" /> Villeneuve collaborated with vocalists Steve Smith and Amélie Veille.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The album debuted at No. 49 on the Quebec pop charts and received negative media reviews.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It sold 233 copies in Quebec and 836 in North America.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
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Villeneuve was a guest on the 6 June 1995 and 2 June 1998 episodes of the Late Show with David Letterman.<ref>Template:Cite news
Template:Cite news</ref> Villeneuve made a cameo appearance as a racing driver in the 2001 film Driven.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He carried the Olympic torch in Old Montreal during the 2010 Winter Olympics torch relay in December 2009.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Villeneuve also carried the Olympic flag at the opening ceremony.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Villeneuve was employed by Disney France in late 2010, spending two days recording the French voice of David Hobbscap for the 2011 Pixar animated film Cars 2. The character was also renamed after him in the French dub.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He analysed the Template:F1GP and the Template:F1GP for the British television channel Sky Sports F1.<ref>Template:Cite web
Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Since 2013, Villeneuve has commentated for the pay-TV services Sky Sport in Italy and Canal+ in France,<ref>Template:Cite news
Template:Cite news</ref> and for Sky Sports in Britain at the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He co-designed the Area 27 racing track in Okanagan, British Columbia.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Villeneuve became an ambassador of the Williams Formula One team for the Template:F1 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Villeneuve was engaged firstly to a Montreal college student named Sandrine Gros D'Aillon, then to Australian pop singer Dannii Minogue and later American ballerina Ellen Green.Template:Sfn Villeneuve's first marriage was to Parisian Johanna Martinez in May 2006. They had two children before divorcing in June 2009. In June 2012, he married Brazilian Camila Andrea López Lillo, with whom he has two children.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Villeneuve married his third wife Giulia Marra, with whom he has a son and a daughter, at the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix .<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Tax evasion scandal
[edit]Since January 2017, Revenu Québec has pursued Villeneuve for $1.7 million in unpaid taxes after doing an audit of his business activities from 2010 to 2012.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The October 2021 release of the Pandora Papers revealed that he had set up offshore companies in the tax-free jurisdictions of The Bahamas and the British Virgin Islands in the 1990s and early 2000s to receive endorsement and income and to avoid paying Canadian income tax.<ref name=PandoraVilleneuve>Template:Cite news</ref> In the fiscal year of 2010, Villeneuve declared $6,431 of personal income, and even claimed a tax-credit for low-income families.<ref name=PandoraVilleneuve/>
Public image and personality
[edit]Journalist Gerald Donaldson describes Villeneuve as "engagingly eccentric, opinionated and outspoken" and one who "defied convention and challenged authority, saying exactly what he thought in an era when drivers were expected to express only sweet-talking platitudes."<ref name="F1HOFBio" /> He was popular with the European press for his willingness to speak his mind in a time of political correctness.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> He publicly bemoaned F1's commercialised and commodified image,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the sport's structure, focus on cheaper, younger, corporate groomed drivers,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the manufacturing of driver personalities by corporations so as not to impugn their reputation by drivers voicing their thoughts and opinions through the media.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=AutocourseBio>Template:Cite web</ref> Villeneuve frequently dyed his hair in various colours and sported grunge street wear.<ref name="F1HOFBio" /><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> His behaviour earned him multiple cautions from F1's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), for bringing the series into disrepute. Max Mosley, the association's president, commented that Villeneuve's controversies would benefit him when he was no longer successful.<ref name="F1HOFBio" />
Villeneuve's decision to be independent as much as possible from media relations to avoid over promotion was endorsed by Pollock.Template:Sfn He refused to conduct substantial public relations duties for teams even after BAR attempted to purchase more public relations appearances for him, and he limited his commitments communicating to the press.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Journalist Matt Bishop observed that Villeneuve was frequently criticised for refusing to do sponsorship functions and for his self-imposed limiting interactions with the press at Template:Not a typo, but Bishop noted others appreciated Villeneuve's focus on racing and instead of "extraneous commitments".<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Villeneuve resisted to join the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), which he believed would serve only the interests of drivers and not F1's. He finally joined in late 2000, feeling his views were being ignored.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Villeneuve decided to resign in mid-2006 after the GPDA decided that Schumacher did not have to apologize nor face sanctions for purposely stopping during qualifying for the Template:F1GP, despite Villeneuve's protests, and Schumacher remained president of the GPDA.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Villeneuve was voted the winner of the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy in 1996, and both the Lou Marsh Trophy and the Lionel Conacher Award in 1995 and 1997.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Villeneuve received the Hawthorn Memorial Trophy for 1997 as the most successful British or Commonwealth driver over the course of a season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In April 1998, he was appointed Officer of the National Order of Quebec but collected the honour at the following year's ceremony due to his racing commitments.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was added to Canada's Walk of Fame two months later.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In December 2010, Villeneuve was inducted into the athlete category of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was added to both the FIA Hall of Fame and the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame seven and eight years later respectively.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Driving ability and racing helmet
[edit]
Journalist Mark Hughes describes Villeneuve's driving as "spectacular" and "hard-charging". Villeneuve frequently went past the edge of the available track to increase his momentum as much as possible.Template:Sfn He provided his engineers with suggestions that Maurice Hamilton wrote were "so far from the norm to the point of diametrically opposed to standard practice, sometimes giving the impression of being pursued just for the hell of it."Template:Sfn Villeneuve prefers driving on slick tyres and with no electronic driver aids. He found driver aids difficult and thus ran with less traction control than his teammates since he could not deal with either the anti-lock system on the rear brakes or heavy traction control.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> This required Villeneuve to modify his driving style and take fewer risks until his exit from F1 in 2006.Template:Sfn He switched from wearing spectacles in his helmet to contact lenses in 1994 after his spectacles vibrated slightly on minor bumps in Indianapolis.<ref name="MMagHelmet" />
Villeneuve based the design of his racing helmet on his father's, reportedly drawing it on a doodling pad.<ref name="CrashHelmet">Template:Cite web</ref> He looked at a photograph of his mother wearing a pink, yellow, green and blue V-shaped striped polo shirt at a motor race her husband was competing at, and he used her pencils to produce the design.<ref name="MMagHelmet" /><ref name="CrashHelmet" /> Villeneuve incorporated an inverted V-style swoosh with varying thickness of colours around the shape on the helmet's two sides.<ref name="CrashHelmet" /> He retained a single black line from his first design in the centre to divide the colours without difficulty.Template:Efn<ref name="MMagHelmet">Template:Cite web</ref>
Racing results
[edit]Career summary
[edit]American open-wheel racing results
[edit]Toyota Atlantic Championship
[edit]| Toyota Atlantic results | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Template:Abbr | Points |
| 1992 | Comprep/Player's | MIA | PHX | LBH | LIM | MON | WGL | TOR | TRR Template:Small |
VAN | MDO | MOS | NAZ | LS1 | LS2 | 14th | 28 | |
| 1993 | Forsythe/Green Racing | PHX Template:Small |
LBH Template:Small |
ATL Template:Small |
MIL Template:Small |
MON Template:Small |
MOS Template:Small |
HAL Template:Small |
TOR Template:Small |
LOU Template:Small |
TRR Template:Small |
VAN Template:Small |
MDO Template:Small |
NAZ Template:Small |
LS1 Template:Small |
LS2 Template:Small |
3rd | 185 |
| Template:Center | ||||||||||||||||||
CART
[edit]IndyCar Series
[edit]| IndyCar Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Chassis | Template:Abbr | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Template:Abbr | Points | Ref |
| 2014 | Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports | Dallara DW12 | 5 | Honda | STP | LBH | ALA | IMS | INDY Template:Small |
DET | DET | TXS | HOU | HOU | POC | IOW | TOR | TOR | MDO | MIL | SNM | FON | 30th | 29 | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Template:Center | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indianapolis 500
[edit]| Year | Chassis | Engine | Start | Finish | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Reynard 94I | Ford XB | 4 | 2 | Forsythe/Green Racing |
| 1995 | Reynard 95I | Ford XB | 5 | 1 | Team Green |
| 2014 | Dallara | Honda | 27 | 14 | Schmidt Peterson Motorsports |
| Template:Center | |||||
Formula One
[edit]† Did not finish, but was classified as he had completed more than 90% of the race distance.
Sports car career
[edit]24 Hours of Le Mans
[edit]| 24 Hours of Le Mans results | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Co-drivers | Car | Class | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr |
| Template:24hLM | Template:Flagicon Team Peugeot Total | Template:Flagicon Nicolas Minassian Template:Flagicon Marc Gené |
Peugeot 908 HDi FAP | LMP1 | 338 | DNF | DNF |
| Template:24hLM | Template:Flagicon Team Peugeot Total | Template:Flagicon Nicolas Minassian Template:Flagicon Marc Gené |
Peugeot 908 HDi FAP | LMP1 | 381 | 2nd | 2nd |
| Template:Center | |||||||
Le Mans Series
[edit]| Le Mans Series results | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Entrant | Class | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Template:Abbr | Points | |
| 2008 | Team Peugeot Total | LMP1 | Peugeot 908 HDi FAP | Peugeot HDI 5.5 L Turbo V12 (Diesel) |
CAT | MON | SPA Template:Small |
NÜR | SIL | 9th | 10 | |
| Template:Center | ||||||||||||
Complete 24 Hours of Spa results
[edit]| 24 Hours of Spa results | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Class | Tyres | Car | Team | Co-drivers | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Class pos. | |
| 2009 | G2 | Template:Michelin | Mosler MT900 R GT3 Chevrolet LS7 7.0 L V8 |
Template:Flagicon Gravity Racing International | Template:Flagicon Vincent Radermecker Template:Flagicon Loris de Sordi Template:Flagicon Ho-Pin Tung |
65 | DNF | ||
| Template:Center | |||||||||
NASCAR
[edit](key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Cup Series
[edit]Daytona 500
[edit]| Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish | Template:Abbr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Bill Davis Racing | Toyota | DNQ | <ref name=2008Sprint/> | |
| 2022 | Team Hezeberg | Ford | 40 | 22 | <ref name=2022Cup/> |
Nationwide Series
[edit]Craftsman Truck Series
[edit]| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Template:Abbr | Truck | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr |
| 2007 | Bill Davis Racing | 27 | Toyota | DAY | CAL | ATL | MAR | KAN | LOW | MAN | DOV | TEX | MCH | MIL | MEM | KEN | IRP | NSH | BRI | GTY | NHA | LVS Template:Small |
TAL Template:Small |
MAR Template:Small |
ATL Template:Small |
TEX Template:Small |
PHO Template:Small |
HOM Template:Small |
42nd | 615 | <ref name=2007Trucks/> |
Canadian Tire/Pinty's Series
[edit]| NASCAR Canadian Tire/Pinty's Series results | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Template:Abbr | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr |
| 2009 | Jacombs Racing | 7 | Ford | ASE | DEL | MSP | ASE Template:Small |
MPS | EDM | SAS | MSP | CTR Template:Small |
CGV | BAR | RIS | KWA | 33rd | 257 | <ref name=2009Canada/> |
| 2013 | 22 Racing | 24 | Dodge | MSP | DEL | MSP | ICAR | MPS | SAS | ASE | CTR Template:Small |
RIS | MSP | BAR | KWA | 43rd | 43 | <ref name=2013Canadian/> | |
| 2014 | Jacombs Racing | 7 | Dodge | MSP | ACD | ICAR | EIR | SAS | ASE | CTR Template:Small |
RIS | MSP | BAR | KWA | 60th | 20 | <ref name=2014Canadian/> | ||
| 2022 | Dumoulin Competition | 07 | Dodge | SUN | MSP | ACD | AVE | TOR | EDM | SAS | SAS | CTR Template:Small |
OSK | ICAR | MSP | DEL | – | 0 | <ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> |
Whelen Euro Series – EuroNASCAR PRO
[edit](key) (Bold – Pole position. Italics – Fastest lap. * – Most laps led. ^ – Most positions gained)
| NASCAR Whelen Euro Series – EuroNASCAR PRO results | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Template:Abbr | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | ||
| 2019 | Go Fas Racing | 32 | Chevy | VAL Template:Small |
VAL Template:Small |
FRA Template:Small |
FRA Template:Small |
BRH Template:Small |
BRH Template:Small |
MOS Template:Small |
MOS Template:Small |
VEN Template:Small* |
HOC Template:Small |
HOC Template:Small |
ZOL Template:Small |
ZOL Template:Small |
8th | 431 | <ref name=2019Whelen/> | ||
| 2020 | FEED Vict Racing | 5 | ITA Template:Small |
ITA Template:Small |
ZOL Template:Small |
ZOL Template:Small |
MOS | MOS | VAL | VAL | ESP | ESP | 21st | 104 | <ref name=2020Whelen/> | ||||||
| 2021 | Academy Motorsport | EuroNASCAR FJ 2020 | ESP Template:Small |
ESP Template:Small |
GBR | GBR | CZE Template:Small |
CZE Template:Small |
CRO Template:Small |
CRO Template:Small |
BEL | BEL | ITA Template:Small |
ITA Template:Small |
9th | 331 | <ref name="DBOverview" /> | ||||
Other stock cars
[edit]Speedcar Series
[edit](key)
| Speedcar Series results | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr |
| 2008 | Speedcar Team | SEN1 | SEN2 | SEP1 | SEP2 | BHR1 Template:Small |
BHR2 Template:Small |
DUB1 Template:Small |
DUB2 Template:Small |
14th | 3 | |
| 2008–09 | Durango | DUB Template:Small |
BHR1 Template:Small |
BHR2 Template:Small |
LOS1 Template:Small |
LOS2 Template:Small |
DUB1 | DUB2 | BHR1 | BHR2 | 11th | 7 |
| Template:Center | ||||||||||||
Stock Car Brasil
[edit]| Stock Car Brasil results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr |
| 2011 | Shell V-Power Racing | Peugeot 408 | CTB | INT | RBP | VEL | CGD | RIO | INT Template:Small |
SAL | SCZ | LON | BSB | VEL | NC† | 0† | |||||||||
| 2015 | Shell Racing | Chevrolet Sonic | GOI 1 Template:Small |
RBP 1 |
RBP 2 |
VEL 1 |
VEL 2 |
CUR 1 |
CUR 2 |
SCZ 1 |
SCZ 2 |
CUR 1 |
CUR 2 |
GOI 1 |
CAS 1 |
CAS 2 |
BRA 1 |
BRA 2 |
CUR 1 |
CUR 2 |
TAR 1 |
TAR 2 |
INT 1 |
NC† | 0† |
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Touring cars
[edit]V8 Supercars
[edit]| V8 Supercars results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr |
| 2010 | Rod Nash Racing | Ford FG Falcon | YMC R1 |
YMC R2 |
BHR R3 |
BHR R4 |
ADE R5 |
ADE R6 |
HAM R7 |
HAM R8 |
QLD R9 |
QLD R10 |
WIN R11 |
WIN R12 |
HDV R13 |
HDV R14 |
TOW R15 |
TOW R16 |
PHI Q |
PHI R17 |
BAT R18 |
SUR R19 Template:Small |
SUR R20 Template:Small |
SYM R21 |
SYM R22 |
SAN R23 |
SAN R24 |
SYD R25 |
SYD R26 |
NC | 0 † | <ref name=2010Supercars/> | ||||
| 2012 | Kelly Racing | Holden VE Commodore | ADE R1 |
ADE R2 |
SYM R3 |
SYM R4 |
HAM R5 |
HAM R6 |
BAR R7 |
BAR R8 |
BAR R9 |
PHI R10 |
PHI R11 |
HID R12 |
HID R13 |
TOW R14 Template:Small |
TOW R15 Template:Small |
QLD R16 Template:Small |
QLD R17 Template:Small |
SMP R18 Template:Small |
SMP R19 Template:Small |
SAN Q |
SAN R20 |
BAT R21 |
SUR R22 |
SUR R23 |
YMC R24 |
YMC R25 |
YMC R26 |
WIN R27 |
WIN R28 |
SYD R29 |
SYD R30 |
NC | 0 † | <ref name=2012Supercars/> |
† Not Eligible for points
Complete FIA World Rallycross Championship results
[edit]| Supercar results | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr |
| 2014 | Albatec Racing | Peugeot 208 GTi | POR Template:Small |
GBR | NOR Template:Small |
FIN Template:Small |
SWE Template:Small |
BEL Template:Small |
CAN Template:Small |
FRA | GER | ITA Template:Small |
TUR | ARG | 37th | 8 |
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Complete Formula E results
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Formula E results | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Chassis | Powertrain | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | |
| 2015–16 | Venturi Formula E Team | Spark SRT01-e | Venturi VM200-FE-01 | BEI Template:Small |
PUT Template:Small |
PDE Template:Small |
BUE | MEX | LBH | PAR | BER | LDN | LDN | 20th | 0 | |
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Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Class | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Floyd Vanwall Racing Team | Hypercar | Vanwall Vandervell 680 | Gibson GL458 4.5 L V8 | SEB Template:Small |
ALG Template:Small |
SPA Template:Small |
LMS | MNZ | FUJ | BHR | 18th | 6 |
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Bibliography
[edit]- Template:Cite book
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Notes
[edit]References
[edit]External links
[edit]- Template:Official website (Archived)
- Template:Racing-Reference driver
- Jacques Villeneuve at F1DB
- Template:DriverDB driver
Template:S-start Template:S-ach Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-ach Template:S-bef Template:S-ttl Template:S-aft Template:S-end
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