Villeneuve Quits BAR.

[FourWheelDrift]

Jacques Villeneuve has "decided" not to race in the Japanese Grand Prix. This follows BAR's announcement on Tuesday that they have signed Takuma Sato for next season. Sato will now make his debut for the team this weekend.

No suprise really.

[docevi1]

feel sorry for the bloke to be honest, never really like him, a bit too out-spoken about his team and teammates, but seemed to be a good driver when allowed. Plus I seem to remember that he was there when BAR started and was part of the developing team?

[hut49]

I hope BAR remembered to load up a couple of extra sets of wings and other fragile bits

[ginettag27]

Wasn't it Sato's father who when asked if his son would be competing in TOCA following his absence from F1, said something along the lines of "he's too good to be driving in that championship".. JV top driver, but getting a little bolshy, needs to go to sportscars (GTs, i.e. Le Mans) and do a load of driving without all of the bull of F1. Just like McNish should do as well..

[FourWheelDrift]

Quotes mean nothing when someone's after a drive.

When Keke Rosberg was retiring from F1 in 1986 he was asked if he would race tin tops his reply was:-

"Only toilets have doors"

Keke made his German Touring car debut in 1992. F1 drivers have very short memories

[steviebee]

FourWheelDrift said:

Quotes mean nothing when someone's after a drive. When Keke Rosberg was retiring from F1 in 1986 he was asked if he would race tin tops his reply was:- "Only toilets have doors" Keke made his German Touring car debut in 1992. F1 drivers have very short memories

When Brundle packed it in and asked if he's fancy Touring Cars, he said that he didn't own a road car with less power than a TC.

A few weeks later, he's trundling (or should that be "Brundling"??!!) along the M11 in a Corola!

[anonymous-user]

........and then there were no more racers left........
very sad to see him go, another example of money dictating a team's choice of driver. will any other driver say "yeah, i reckon Eau Rouge can be taken flat........" for all his outspoken comments, he was a racer at heart and thats what the sport sadly lacks.

[condor]

[quote=pablo he was a racer at heart [/quote]


WAS, being the operative word...

Sato knew some time ago he would be racing this weekend....he told some journalist from the scottish Herald....Just as at the begginning of the year he said he would be driving for BAR in 2004.
Though I think he was made to say his comments were misunderstood

[anonymous-user]

condor said:

[quote=pablo he was a racer at heart

WAS, being the operative word...
[/quote]

just like Honda WERE reliable engine builders...... give the man the tools to do a job abd he will get it done.....

[condor]

pablo said:

just like Honda WERE reliable engine builders...... give the man the tools to do a job abd he will get it done.....

True for the first statement....I believe Honda have a policy for recruiting up and coming young engineers... rather than concentrate on more mature, experienced mechanics.

Your 2nd statement...Hmmmm - that's an ideal case.
When a man is paid as much as JV was....it could be expected that he could give more accurate input to the people supplying the tools...(he has been acknowledged by Honda for helping in their engine development work.)