Editing Jacques Villeneuve (section)

==Early racing career==
Villeneuve's mother was aware from when he was five that he wanted to race,<ref name="JV2017Interview">{{cite journal|last=Cooper|first=Adam|date=November 2016|title=Lunch with Jacques Villeneuve|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-2016/80/lunch-jacques-villeneuve|volume=92|pages=81–88|journal=Motor Sport|number=11|access-date=9 June 2021|archive-date=June 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608201506/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-2016/80/lunch-jacques-villeneuve|url-status=live}}</ref> and he went [[Kart racing|go-karting]] with his uncle several times in Canada.{{Sfn|Collings|1997|p=88–93}}  In May 1982, his father died in an accident with [[Jochen Mass]] during qualifying for the {{F1GP||1982 Belgian}} at [[Circuit Zolder]]. Jacques became less interested in motor racing after that, fearing the sport's dangers.<ref name="OCProfile1995" />{{Sfn|Collings|1997|p=22–26}} 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.{{sfn|Hilton|1996|p=27–32}} Though his mother preferred him to do a course in aerodynamic or mechanical engineering,{{Sfn|Collings|1997|p=88–93}} 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.{{Sfn|Collings|1997|p=88–93}}{{sfn|Hilton|1996|p=27–32}} In July 1986, his uncle enrolled him in the [[Jim Russell (racing driver)|Jim Russell Racing Driver School]] in [[Mont Tremblant Resort|Mont Tremblant]],{{Efn|The school had been interested in Villeneuve since his father attended it in the early 1970s. His mother agreed on the condition journalists were not allowed to enter the circuit.<ref name=F1Live2001>{{cite web|last=Fagnan|first=René|title=Jacques Villeneuve's first race... with Honda!|url=http://www.f1-live.com/f1-2001/en/headlines/magazine/detail/20010605112539.shtml|publisher=F1-Live|date=6 June 2001|access-date=9 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010616025309/http://www.f1-live.com/f1-2001/en/headlines/magazine/detail/20010605112539.shtml|archive-date=16 June 2001|url-status=dead}}</ref>}} where he passed a three-day course driving a [[Formula Ford|Formula Ford 1600]] car from [[Van Diemen]].{{efn|Blocks were fitted onto the car pedals by staff to enable Villeneuve to reach them and sit next to the [[steering wheel]] since he is small in stature.{{Sfn|Collings|1997|p=88–93}}{{Sfn|Sparling|1999|p=23–26}}}}{{Sfn|Collings|1997|p=88–93}}{{Sfn|Sparling|1999|p=23–26}}

In mid-1987, Villeneuve left his family to attend the Spenard-David Racing School in [[Tyendinaga, Ontario|Shannonville, Ontario]] to hone his abilities under Richard Spenard.{{sfn|Collings|1997|p=98–142, 191–192}}<ref name=OCProfile1995/>{{Sfn|Sparling|1999|p=23–26}} 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.{{Sfn|Sparling|1999|p=23–26}}{{sfn|Collings|1997|p=98–142, 191–192}} Aged 17, Villeneuve was invited to make his car racing debut in the [[Italian Superturismo Championship|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.{{efn|His nationality was occasionally presented as either Andorran or Canadian during this period.{{sfn|Hilton|1996|p=48}}}}{{sfn|Collings|1997|p=98–142, 191–192}} Villeneuve performed poorly in each of the three rounds.{{Sfn|Sparling|1999|p=23–26}}

[[File:1989 Reynard 893 Alfa Romeo (35264655075).jpg|thumb|left|The car Villeneuve drove in the 1989 Italian Formula 3 Championship]]

Villeneuve went on to sign a three-year contract to drive a [[Reynard Motorsport|Reynard]]-[[Alfa Romeo]] car for [[Prema Powerteam|Prema]] in the [[Italian Formula Three Championship]], a deal that was aided by the squad obtaining sponsorship from the [[Camel (cigarette)|Camel]] cigarette company.{{efn|Cigarette company [[Marlboro (cigarette)|Marlboro]] did not want to sponsor Villeneuve because their management did not want to exploit his name.{{sfn|Collings|1997|p=98–142, 191–192}}}} 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.{{Efn|A victory for Villeneuve at the final round of the 1990 season at the [[ACI Vallelunga Circuit]] was disallowed when he was assessed a one-minute penalty for a jump start.<ref name=MMagBio/>}}{{sfn|Collings|1997|p=98–142, 191–192}} 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" />{{sfn|Collings|1997|p=98–142, 191–192}} In late 1991, Villeneuve finished eighth in both the [[1991 Macau Grand Prix|Macau Grand Prix]] and the Formula 3 Fuji Cup.{{sfn|Collings|1997|p=98–142, 191–192}}

[[File:No.7 Toyota TS010 at 1992 Sportscar World Championship.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Toyota TS010]] car Villeneuve shared with [[Eddie Irvine]] and [[Tom Kristensen]] at [[Mine Circuit]].]]

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" />{{Sfn|Sparling|1999|p=23–26}}{{Sfn|Collings|1997|p=98–142, 191–192}} For the 1992 season, he wanted to compete in [[Formula 3000]] in Europe with [[Prema Racing|Prema]],{{sfn|Collings|1997|p=98–142, 191–192}} but did not have the funding to compete with the top teams.{{sfn|Villeneuve|Donaldson|1996|p=39–40}} 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.{{sfn|Collings|1997|p=98–142, 191–192}} People in the racing world observed that ten years after his father's death, Villeneuve was becoming a well-known racer.{{Sfn|Sparling|1999|p=23–26}}{{sfn|Collings|1997|p=98–142, 191–192}} 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">{{Cite journal|last=Bartels|first=Mandy|date=26 September 1995|title=Jacques Villeneuve – In His Own Tracks|url=http://www.atlasf1.com/95/portugal/bartels.html|url-status=live|journal=AtlasF1|volume=1|issue=14|access-date=1 June 2021|archive-date=June 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602214110/http://www.atlasf1.com/95/portugal/bartels.html}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Gagnon|first=François|date=12 June 1999|title=BAR née d'un accident de parcours: Mandaté pour embaucher l'oncle Villeneuve, Moser a engagé le neveu|language=fr|trans-title=BAR born from a mishap: Mandated to hire uncle Villeneuve, Moser hired the nephew|pages=C1–C2|work=[[Le Soleil (Quebec)|Le Soleil]]|url=https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2933910|access-date=4 June 2021|via=[[BAnQ numérique]] |archive-date=June 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604214024/https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2933910|url-status=live}}</ref> He finished third in the No. 49 [[Swift DB4]]-Toyota car lent by the ComPred team.{{sfn|Collings|1997|p=98–142, 191–192}}<ref name="AtlanticResults">{{cite web|title=Jacques Villeneuve – Atlantic Stats|url=http://www.champcarstats.com/atlantic/drivers/VilleneuveJacquesII.htm|publisher=Champ Car Stats|access-date=1 June 2021|archive-date=June 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602213638/http://www.champcarstats.com/atlantic/drivers/VilleneuveJacquesII.htm|url-status=live}}</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 [[1992 Macau Grand Prix|Macau Grand Prix]] for TOM'S.{{sfn|Collings|1997|p=98–142, 191–192}} In Trois-Rivières, Villeneuve met crew chief Barry Green who wanted a driver for his new [[Forsythe/Pettit Racing|Forsythe-Green Racing]] squad.<ref name="Bartels1995" /> He accepted a three-year contract from Green with personal sponsorship from sports marketing arm [[John Player & Sons|Player's]] November 1992.<ref name="Maclean's1995" /><ref name="FPJun1995" />{{Sfn|Sparling|1999|p=23–26}} 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 car racing|American open-wheel racing]] before progressing to [[Championship Auto Racing Teams]] (CART) in 1994.{{sfn|Collings|1997|p=98–142, 191–192}}{{sfn|Villeneuve|Donaldson|1996|p=39–40}} Villeneuve built a close working relationship with aerodynamicist Tony Cicale.{{sfn|Collings|1997|p=145–151, 192}} Driving the No. 10 [[Ralt RT-40|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/>{{sfn|Collings|1997|p=145–151, 192}} He was named the series' [[Rookie of the Year (award)|Rookie of the Year]],<ref name="BrittanicaBio" /> and ended 1993 retiring from the [[1993 Macau Grand Prix|Macau Grand Prix]] driving a [[March Engineering|March Racing]] Ralt 93C-[[Fiat]] car.{{sfn|Collings|1997|p=145–151, 192}}