VILLENEUVE IN SAUBER TALKS

[Senna 0]

from itv-f1.com:

VILLENEUVE IN SAUBER TALKS

Last Updated: Thursday, 19, August, 2004, 05:03

Jacques Villeneuve visited the Sauber factory in Switzerland this week, the team has confirmed.

Villeneuve is desperate for an F1 return after failing to find a seat for 2004.

It is thought that his first choice destination is BAR, the team he drove for between 1999 and 2003.

Villeneuve said on Thursday that he had buried the hatchet with BAR boss David Richards and was keen to return.

But that did not stop him heading to Sauber

[AutoRacer5 0]

hmm, interesting prospect, colorful helmet in a colorful car...

[Shadow 0]

The Silly Season will run and run folks. The mystery surrounding JV is anyone's guess. First Williams, then BAR and now Sauber. Hmm, it seems he has many options open. Where next maybe Jag?

[Senna 0]

The Silly Season will run and run folks. The mystery surrounding JV is anyone's guess. First Williams, then BAR and now Sauber. Hmm, it seems he has many options open. Where next maybe Jag?

As I have said before, I don

[nojvnof1 0]

Sauber is just about the last of the honest, no nonsense real racing teams left and they would be perfect for Jacques. They aren't a team of prima donnas and aren't littered with political BS and just race for the love of it. JV would help them with his years of experience and of course his skills at the wheel. Just remember, Sauber said at the end of '03 that if he knew JV was leaving BAR he would have signed him straight away. DR robbed us of a JV/GF pairing at Sauber this year, that would have been fantastic.

I disagree with you there Alistair, I think JV is really serious about joining a team like Sauber having seen what it did for Fisi. Unlike all the other secret test with Williams rumours, this is true, and JV is actively seeking the drivers rather than waiting for that call as he said. However it does keep JV's name in the paddock, and yet again emphasises just how the sport is missing JV. They're missing his daredevil antics behind the wheel, the possibility of his racing Michael at times, and of course, his refreshing forthright, and honest attitude for which he was condemned in many corners of F1. I guess you don't know what you have until its gone!!

[Shadow 0]

Well, though I would like to see JV with a top team next year, what else can JV do, if the top teams are all booked up? It kind of makes sense to return with a team like Sauber, since as 'nojvnof1' pointed out Sauber maybe one of few teams to still allow racing at its best.

[Senna 0]

I disagree with you there Alistair, I think JV is really serious about joining a team like Sauber having seen what it did for Fisi. Unlike all the other secret test with Williams rumours, this is true, and JV is actively seeking the drivers rather than waiting for that call as he said. However it does keep JV's name in the paddock, and yet again emphasises just how the sport is missing JV. They're missing his daredevil antics behind the wheel, the possibility of his racing Michael at times, and of course, his refreshing forthright, and honest attitude for which he was condemned in many corners of F1. I guess you don't know what you have until its gone!!

For someone of JV

[C.A.L. 0]

I personally believe that Sauber is a better potentially than what many think they really could be next year.

The Wind Tunnel in full bloom will be adding many tweak and developments to the Sauber F1 car that will improve the car immensely. Can the Team win a race next year...not necessarily from its own strengths knowning that Ferrari will probably impose a dumbing down on the engine power a bit, but the car should be reliable and top 6 for sure.

Other than BAR I would think every other Team would have less potential to move into the top 6 . Ferrari/BAR/Renault/Williams/Mclaren ...Sauber, Toyota/Jaguar on a outside chance.(Toyota I believe have their seats taken)

Sauber has been too conservative too long ...besides will Sauber go back with Heidfield as a driver?

[Senna 0]

I personally believe that Sauber is a better potentially than what many think they really could be next year.

The Sauber car has been greatly aided by the Bridgestone tyres which are clearly the best tyres in F1 at the moment. The Bridgestone tyres work well in all conditions and are widely regarded as undoubtedly the best tyre company in F1 today. Sauber does have a new wind tunnel but they still have less funding than any of the top teams and will most probably be overtaken by Toyota next year in the WCC, although much of this depends on tyres which are a pivotal area of F1 these days

[Sato 0]

Sauber are about to come good i think. 2005 will be promising for them, and i think they'll get a few podiums.

[Shadow 0]

Sauber are about to come good i think. 2005 will be promising for them, and i think they'll get a few podiums.

I am not sure about podiums but maybe they are getting stronger. Podiums maybe a freak thing(once maybe twice max)

[Shadow 0]

The Wind Tunnel in full bloom will be adding many tweak and developments to the Sauber F1 car that will improve the car immensely. Can the Team win  a race next year...not necessarily from its own strengths knowning that Ferrari will probably impose a dumbing down on the engine power a bit, but the car should be reliable and top 6 for sure.

Well , I will say this for Sauber. To take the team further they have to improve the engine given to them by Ferrari and maintain its reliability( something I might add, which JV never had in 2003 at BAR). Maybe they will improve,who knows.

[Taku 0]

 a Sauber drive

[Senna 0]

have we all forgotten that this is exactly what he was doing at bar for his last 3 years??

jv hasn't been in a winning car for years.  in his final year he was doing exactly that, fighting for scraps in the midfield.  getting into a sauber wouldn't be a great leap backwards after the pigs he's driven at bar in their development years...

JV had a good year in 2001 and got a couple of podiums, so he did have good moments in his last three years.

JV hasn

[Shadow 0]

They are currently the 6th best team in F1, along way behind the top-teams and not much ahead of the worst ones.  Sauber will probably be overtaken by Toyota next year as well, making them the fourth worst team, only ahead of Minardi, Jordan and jaguar.

Well, I have to agree with you on that one. Toyota will definitely overtake Sauber especially if they keep bringing in people from Renault. The only hope Sauber is the reliable Ferrari engines, though their new wind tunnel must not be discounted.

[pumpdoc 2]

[Senna 0]

What exactly do you mean by that?

[pumpdoc 2]

8) He hates sponsor duties-for the kind of coin he was making he could be a little more gratefull -he's a prima donna-sorry I'm not sold and never have been sold on JV it goes back to his CART days and a personal run in at the Long Beach race-well deserving of #1 A***hole on my list, never in my life as a fan has such a nobody been such a boor!

[Senna 0]

JV has said he would be prepared to do more PR work this time round

[Senna 0]

JV also said, "I would be quite happy to work for bonuses. I haven't even thought about the money. It's not the important thing right now".

[AutoRacer5 0]

3 reasons i hate JV

1. He won the 1995 indy 500, my fave driver never qualified

2. He beat Al Unser Jr. to the 1995 CART title.

3. He beat MS to the 97 crown.

[Shadow 0]

3 reasons i hate JV

1. He won the 1995 indy 500, my fave driver never qualified

2. He beat Al Unser Jr. to the 1995 CART title.

3. He beat MS to the 97 crown.

Well, I love JV because he beat MS to the crown and who can't like his aggresive driving style. A racer's racer, that is what I call him.Gives his 110% every time he gets into the c##Kpit.

By the way, what about the time when JV overtook MS around the outside at Estoril. Moment to savour was'nt it :wink:

[Shadow 0]

And for heavens sake, let him get a top drive next season. God knows, it is about time JV and MS banged wheels again.

[Senna 0]

what about the time when JV overtook MS around the outside at Estoril. Moment to savour was'nt it :wink:

It was indeed.

[nojvnof1 0]

3 reasons i hate JV

1. He won the 1995 indy 500, my fave driver never qualified

2. He beat Al Unser Jr. to the 1995 CART title.

3. He beat MS to the 97 crown.

hate is a pretty strong word. As much as I dislike M$, I don't hate him. What did JV do to you? Oh, great reasons for hating a driver :wink:

pumpdoc, as Alistair stated, JV has learned many lessons due to his year off and is now willing to drive for nothing, except for bonuses, and has finally come around in terms of PR, this was an area even I had a dig at him for. As for what happened between you and JV, yeah he may have been abit of a prick, but how does that take away from his skills on the track?

Shadow, that move had to be one of the best in living memory, truly awesome!! The move was great, the fact it was Michael made it even more sweeter 8)