Editing Jacques Villeneuve (section)

====1998====
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 [[Williams FW20|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" />{{Sfn|Downey|1998|pp=7, 20, 126}} He scored points at nine {{Not a typo|Grands Prix}} with season-high third place finishes at the {{F1GP|1998|German}} and the {{F1GP|1998|Hungarian}}. During practice for the {{F1GP|1998|Belgian}}, he lost control of his car in Eau Rouge corner and crashed backwards into the barrier at approximately {{Convert|170|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}. Villeneuve was unhurt.{{Sfn|Sparling|1999|pp=74–77}} With 21 points, he finished fifth in the Drivers' Championship.{{Sfn|Downey|1998|pp=7, 20, 126}}