You don’t usually think of racing drivers as beards, which is why Jacques Villeneuve gave some of his fans a shock when he appeared in Barcelona with his new Castaway look. While Damon Hill and Rubens Barrichello have experimented with decent goatees, we haven’t seen such impressive whiskers on a Grand Prix podium since John Watson’s victory in Austria in 1976. Unless you count Prince Michael of Kent handing over the prizes at Silverstone …
The other novelty was the first sight of BAR coveralls on the podium. This was the team’s 38th race, but for Villeneuve the trail goes back to Hungary in 1998 when he finished third for Williams.
“It was a long wait and it was also a long wait for the team,” he said after the race. “It’s now the third year and everyone has worked really, really hard. There have been a lot of tough times but we struggled. This season has been really difficult to get going and it’s great to finally get a podium . ” I think everyone needed it. “
Villeneuve won the best-of-the-rest class, significantly overtaking Jarno Trulli’s Jordan in the pits to ensure BAR achieved the first podium in Honda’s “third era”. If he seemed a little overwhelmed by the whole thing, there were good reasons. He may have left team-mate Olivier Panis behind, but it could not be overlooked that both McLarens and a Ferrari and a Williams were out of the picture.
“The start went well,” he said. “Then I braked way too early for the first corner, I took it too easy and that really annoyed me, so after that first corner I got a little more aggressive and just drove hard until the end. The car was really, really hard to drive but I managed to jump trulli at the pit stop and then it was just a matter of pushing Juan Pablo [Montoya] in case he made a mistake.
“The way the car worked today, the traction control saved us! This time it’s different. The car was great in qualifying and difficult to drive in the race, while it’s usually the opposite.”
The weekend in Villeneuve didn’t get off to a good start. When he stepped out of the pits on Friday, a Honda engine blew so hard that parts went through the underbody and hit the asphalt.
In qualifying he lost his first run due to a lack of rear brakes and was 10 kg overweight after the crew left ballast on board that should have been removed for a low fuel consumption run. He was angry; Any joy he felt when he eventually qualified for a strong seventh place was offset by these operational issues. In addition, he had to start without a start control because the BAR system was not quite finished.
The podium and the car’s respectable racing speed are progress, but the issues outlined above will force Villeneuve to rethink its long-term future over the coming weeks. It was clearly a good decision to turn down Benetton for 2001, but after four years without a winning car and having just turned 30, he’s getting restless.
“I really hope we start winning. I made a choice last year [to stay], but we are not at the level I was promised “Jacques Villeneuve
“I’m happier to be here than just finishing 20th in every race,” he said a few days before the GP. “That would be very difficult. But I am not happy that we are not fast enough yet. There is a lot of work going on and we hope that we will become a lot more competitive. We need a better car, better.” Aerodynamics, and we need a better engine too, and that’s pretty important. “
When will he make a decision about his future?
“You don’t decide in advance, it happens gradually,” he said. “You see when you get to a race how the team works so I couldn’t say in January this will be the race if I choose because maybe a race before something happens so you have to take a little longer waiting . “
Villeneuve insists that his options for 2002 would be a step up.
“I think so, yes,” he said. “It would be a shame if this team didn’t work out because I’ve put a lot of energy, time and effort into. I really hope we start winning. I made a decision last year [to stay], but we’re not at the level I was promised. “
What frustrates him the most is that the team is still in the class of the best. He finished fourth in the first race with Honda Power early last year and wasn’t much of an advance on the pacemakers last weekend.
“We’re not within half a second, so it’s a long way,” he said. “Last year was a big step up from 1999, but this year we’re actually at the same level as last year so it’s not very positive.
“What is frustrating is working hard since 1999 and not making any progress this year is a little difficult. But I see the people on the track and they are all working hard and they are working really well. I just hope that it’s the same at the factory and the same at Honda. “
In January Villeneuve suggested that third place in the constructors’ battle was the minimum acceptable. It seems increasingly unlikely that such a result can be achieved.
“It may not happen, but it’s still the minimum acceptable,” he said. “There will be a lot of angry and sad people if we don’t get there because that means this whole project has failed this year.”
Strong words, but it’s a way of motivating those around you. Meanwhile, Villeneuve has a quick teammate who does the same for him.
“Well Olivier is doing a good job,” he said. “After the last two years, it’s good to have someone to fight against …”
The post Why BAR’s first podium was not a turning point for Villeneuve first appeared on monter-une-startup.
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