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bajo39

'jv Could Know His Fate Before Month End'

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'JV could know his fate before month end'

Jacques Villeneuve could find out before the end of this month if he has a job for next season with BMW-Sauber or if he needs to seek employment elsewhere.

Although Villeneuve signed a two-year deal with Sauber at the start of the 2005 Championship, the team was subsequently bought by German carmaker BMW, which has put the former F1 World Champion's contract in doubt.

And although Villeneuve is adamant that he will be Nick Heidfeld's team-mate next year, BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen isn't as confident.

"I would like to know too," Theissen told Autosport when asked who his second 2006 driver would be.

"I think it (a decision) is still possible in November."

He added: "We have spoken with Jacques, but we don't have a decision yet."

As for the team's third driver, BMW are thought to want to offer the role to an up-and-coming young Formula BMW driver.

According to reports, Theissen is likely to choose either Nicolas Huelkenberg, Dean Smith, Salman Al Khalifa or Robert Wickens to be BMW's official reserve driver.

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BMW should open its eyes and face the situation.

By keeping mum they are jeopardizing JV's future. Now, If BMW opts not to have JV then JV wont find a place elsewhere as it is already finalised in most of the team.

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'JV could know his fate before month end'

"I would like to know too," Theissen told Autosport when asked who his second 2006 driver would be.

"I think it (a decision) is still possible in November."

He added: "We have spoken with Jacques, but we don't have a decision yet."

Hmmmmm. What does this mean?. As the team principle the ball is in his court unless they have pitched an idea to JV that needs his response. Have they offered him an extension for less money??? Maybe offered him more money for less seat time. i.e. He shares his seat but ends up making more then his driving contract but less then an actual buyout???? Maybe a performance clause has been introduced. Sounds like they have offered him something different then the current Sauber contract. Something that has JV thinking and BMW Sauber waiting on a response. My bet is JV has the seat next year at a minimum, and maybe a creative couple of years with some perfomance clauses that don't currently exist.

PS

BMW keeping the Sauber name means JV's contract is rock solid, no doubt about that. Any wiggle room they had, they gave up when they adopted the Sauber name.

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BMW keeping the Sauber name means JV's contract is rock solid, no doubt about that. Any wiggle room they had, they gave up when they adopted the Sauber name.

JV always had a rock solid contract, but that only guarantees him a legal right to the drive, not the drive itself. BMW will still do whatever BMW wants to do, and this story is only re-hashing what we already knew.

I have to agree though, BMW must have made a counter to JV that he is mulling over. But I don't think it is an extension or an adendum to his contract, as BMW has been made it pretty clear that they don't want him, so the most likely explanation is a buy out, which in my view would be a disaster for BMW. They would benefit from the continuity that keeping JV would provide and the money would be better spent on increasing/improving technical personnel rather than a dubious switch in driver talent.

Only time will tell............

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JV always had a rock solid contract, but that only guarantees him a legal right to the drive, not the drive itself. BMW will still do whatever BMW wants to do, and this story is only re-hashing what we already knew.

I have to agree though, BMW must have made a counter to JV that he is mulling over. But I don't think it is an extension or an adendum to his contract, as BMW has been made it pretty clear that they don't want him, so the most likely explanation is a buy out, which in my view would be a disaster for BMW. They would benefit from the continuity that keeping JV would provide and the money would be better spent on increasing/improving technical personnel rather than a dubious switch in driver talent.

Only time will tell............

I've always maintained that JVs contract is solid. Keeping the Sauber name though totally scuttles any chance of implying that JV contract is not with BMW.

I'm not so sure BMW has made it clear they don't want JV. The Press certainly has placed that spin on it, but I challenge anyone to find a direct quote from anybody at BMW that indicates JV is not wanted.

This could quite simply be a case of BMW coming to the table with something different, and then waiting on JV to decide. "Do you want the current one year deal, or do you want to have a look at this idea". JV and Pollock may be seeing if JV services are wanted anywhere else for 2007 before committing to something different. IF no one expresses and interest for 2007, then JV may well end up excepting the new BMW offer. If he can find a race seat for 2007, he may just stick with the last year of his current deal.

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"I would like to know too," Theissen told Autosport when asked who his second 2006 driver would be.

That doesnt sound very promising to me. As I've said all along, if they drop JV, they're going to have to come up with 1 hell of a good explanation of how they invalidated the contract!!!

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Today's Autosprint.

Briatore: "Kovalainen is the future of F1, we expect a lot from him and it is not true that he will race for Sauber in 2006. Kovalainen will be our test driver and for him it is planned the same formation as Fernando Alonso. In 2007 he will race for sure, I don't know yet if for Renault or in another team"

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Today's Autosprint.

Kovalainen will be our test driver and for him it is planned the same formation as Fernando Alonso. In 2007 he will race for sure, I don't know yet if for Renault or in another team"

Well if Fisichella wants to be a world champion he'd better do it in 2006!!

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a buy out, which in my view would be a disaster for BMW. They would benefit from the continuity that keeping JV would provide and the money would be better spent on increasing/improving technical personnel rather than a dubious switch in driver talent.

Only time will tell............

Indeed, but is the new BMW going to be a serious racing outfit that takes the sensible advice you have provided or a marketing operation like BAR who has no value for JV?

Time will tell indeed...

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He's not had the best year in F1 last year, and I'm not much of a fan of his - but I'd like to see JV succeed in this BMW. Be a shame if he never.

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That doesnt sound very promising to me. As I've said all along, if they drop JV, they're going to have to come up with 1 hell of a good explanation of how they invalidated the contract!!!

I think that if Thiessen thinks that JV is not going to be good enough for the team (the subject of another debate), they will find an explanation and reason to drop him - Its not too difficult. JB managed to wriggle out of a 'rock solid' contract.

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But he ended up looking bad for it. So surely BMW dont want to get that kind of bad publicity before they've even had their first race!

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I think that if Thiessen thinks that JV is not going to be good enough for the team (the subject of another debate), they will find an explanation and reason to drop him - Its not too difficult. JB managed to wriggle out of a 'rock solid' contract.

I hardly call JB paying Frank Williams $10,000,000, wriggling!!!!!!!

This press speculation is ridiculous. JV was as competitive as Massa in the Sauber, the engineers have praised his feedback on the car development, he has been through a new team start-up with BAR, and has seen what does and what does not work. He also is passionate and has far more fire in his belly then RS. He comes to race, and gives all he has. He also was a World Champion. The thought that BMW are going to be skidding him is ludicrous. He is exactly what they need.

However the fact that BMW has not come out and said this is adding much fuel to the speculation fire. Realistically though, without all this speculation the facts are we have a driver with a contract, who says the seat is his, and we have BMW, not denying that claim!!!!! Those are the facts, the rest is pure speculation on part of the media and forum members. Because BMW is talking to young upstarts means nothing. What team, who is concerned about their future wouldn't be talking to the young blood!!!.

BMW have pitched a new deal to JV and are waiting on his decision. He will be racing next year

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I hardly call JB paying Frank Williams $10,000,000, wriggling!!!!!!!

Yes, Sir Frank did rather well

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Yes, Sir Frank did rather well

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Indeed............

Although he was very keen to have Jenson onboard, recognising his phenomenal talent: the guy has, quite simply, been touched by the hand of God.

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