Did Villeneuve Leave to Early?

[cegerer]

BAR-Hondas 4th and 7th on the grid. Sure would be ironic if BAR became a front-runner this year ......

[nostatic]

all I can say is TIVO. F1 season pass. No more infomercials during insomnia bouts...

[tchanson]

The only team JV "left" too early was Williams when he and Pollock started their BAR misadventure. Left his reputation and easily another championship or two on the table as well, IMO, in exchange for a bucket o' cash. Always reminded me, sadly, of Phil Hill and the ATS debacle.

I don't believe that JV had much choice in leaving BAR, as his fate was sealed when Richards arrived. He wouldn't have kept JV for free.

This qualifying grid looks like a "first race of the season with new engine spec" anomaly to me. Of course, I could be wrong and the mighty Takuma Sato and BAR will strike newfound fear into the hearts of Jean Todt and Ron Dennis throughout the upcoming season...but that seems a little unlikely.

Tim

[trj911]

I'm sure if Jaques had his way he would still be there. Gotta go, it's racetime!

[MFAFF]

After that race still saying he left early?

I recall Williams did not exactly encourage him to stay after the rubbish post championship season.

He though he could build a team around him like Michael has done ans using the Tyrell team as a basis with lots of cash seemd like a good deal.

The real problem was getting a decent engine in the first season as most judged it harshly after that...plus the big claims at the beginning didn't help.

JV didn't have the skills needed to build a team around him, or the opportunity to do so and so the team became a little bit of a laughing stock.

Until Honda provided the engines and as we know they are pretty handy at engines, especially those that are light, rev to high heaven and are generally light weight and reliable....so all of a sudden they have the power to make the top slots and need amotivated driver to do so, which by now is JB not JV.

Plus he still wanted a bucket load of cash to stay and play and Honda wanted a Japanese driver in thier team, all pretty natural.

He didn't really have a choice, but then I think he had been in a dying end for a while, becuase he was not posting the results he could and should have been and the top teams were not knocking at his door.

Perhaps a move to McLaren in 2002 would have been a better move, displacing DC who has unfortuneately never managed to reach the highest levels needed.

Ah well....you never know what the next season may bring....

[Jim Richards]

Villenueve is very talented, but I feel he is, oops was, the Terrell Owens of F1.

[motion]

Rumors are still saying that he will be in CART this year...

[Reg]

CART? I highly doubt that. I'd like to see him driving but I suspect if it's anywhere it will be in an F1 car halfway through the season. Alot of teams will be scratching their heads while their arses are being whipped and that will cause some heads to roll.

[emcon5]

Too Early? Yes, 1982 was much too early.

Tom