The Suave Assassin
Single male, 26, tax-exile resident in Monaco. Has boyish good looks and lots of money. Enjoys a clean, healthy, exciting, lifestyle passionate about fast cars, fond of Alpine skiing, roller blading, music, reading, movies and computers. Despite all this, he has his head screwed on right.
This is not an identikit dreamboat eligibility profile were describing a real live world champion. The youngest to crack the PPG Indycar circuit. Someone who bids fair to end 1997 as World Formula One Champion after just the first three races. Meet Jacques Villeneuve, the suave assassin who is outperforming the entire Formula One (F1) circus.
The French Canadian was born with coolant in his veins. His father, the illustrious Gilles Villeneuve won six GPs and was among the superstars of F1 in the late 70s and early 80s. Gilles was worshipped by every true Quebecois. In 1982, Gilles was driving Ferrari when disaster struck. Gilles Ferrari crashed in a freak accident in Zolder, at the Belgium GP. The whole of Quebec mourned. Jacques and Melanie were just kids then. Living out of racing motorhomes and fiddling with expensive racing machinery in the paddock became second nature.
(Driving) school days
By 1977, the Villeneuve family had moved to Placassier in the south of France. This was close to the tax haven of Monaco and a convenient homebase for F1 racers. Jacques went to school in Switzerland and attained professional skiing skills.
But it was always secondary to the racing. Jacques sat at the wheels of road cars when he was five years old. He obviously impressed Gilles, for at the age of 10, he was presented with his first racing machine an 80 CC Honda motocross bike. But his formal racing education began in 1986 when he enrolled at the Jim Russel Racing Drivers School, Mont Tremblant, Canada, in Formula Ford 1600s. And a later stint with Formula Ford 2000 at the Spenard-David Racing School in Shannonville, Ontario, further honed his skills.
Out of the pit
Jacques returned to Europe in 1989 and competed in the Italian Group N Saloon races. He soon moved into single-seater action in the fiercely competitive Italian Formula Three Championship in his Reynard. Next season he stood 14th in the championship. Although he finished first once, a one-minute penalty for a jump start denied him his first single-seater win.
The 90s dawned and victory still eluded Villeneuve Jr in his third season of Italian F3 cars. He finished sixth in the championship, with some strong second and third positions to his credit. Also, by now, he knew the legendary circuits of Europe.
Rising sun, rising star
Then, he turned to Japan. There professional racing was seeing a deluge of sponsorships thanks to massive spectator interest. In the Japanese F3, he finished second. This, against fields with the likes of Tom Kristensen and Rickard Rydell. His form landed him no less than three chequered flags in his first year in Japan for Team Toms Toyota. The successful run continued in 1992, with a strong ninth position in the F1 support race at the challenging course of Monaco, and a third spot at Trois Riviers. The latter marked the beginning of his exploits across the pond in Toyota Atlantic Series. The born racer in Villeneuve now smelled blood as he found American tracks and ovals to his liking.
Indy-ian summer
He was named Rookie of the Year in the Toyota Atlantic Championship for his five fantastic wins and seven pole positions. Also, his performance earned him a serious drive in the Indycar championship in 1994. His first Indycar win came at Elkhart Lake, and he was a close second at the speedway at the Indianapolis 500.
But while his winning streak created quite a flutter, even the most farsighted critics were astounded by the metamorphosis of 1994s Rookie into PPG Indycar Champion in 1995. Besides being on pole on six occasions and winning four races, Villeneuve also powered his Team Green Reynard 951-Ford to a thumping win at Indianapolis in the same season. He was penalised during the legendary race and was trailing two laps, when he made a dramatic comeback to snatch victory. He ended the Indycar season festooned with awards, the most coveted being the Lou Marsh Trophy (Canada), when he was named Athlete of the Year the first time ever for a racing driver.
The mad, mad world of F1
The world of F1 took a long second look at the kid when he drank the historic winners bottle of milk at Indianapolis. Most impressed was Frank Williams, owner of arguably the worlds most professional motorsport outfit. Williams cannily snatched the talented youngster before his market value appreciated. The deal between Williams and Villeneuve meant that, for the first time in Indycar history, the Champion would not defend his title.
Villeneuves first drive in a F1 car was in a Williams Renault FW 17 at Silverstone. On 16th August 1995, it was announced that he would be wearing the Rothmans Williams Renault colours.
Rookie on a wild run
Villanelle was outstanding in his first ever appearance in Formula One. He did every thing short of winning the race the pole position, the fastest lap of the race, but alas, no win! After leading most of the race, oil pressure problems forced him back, and his relieved team mate Damon Hill took over to win the race, with Villeneuve second. Thats a terrific debut in a sport where first season podium finishes are tough.
Villeneuve spun off in the early laps of the second race at Brazil but finished second in the GP after that disastrous start. In only his fourth GP, he won his first race at Nurburging (the European GP and not the German GP), and none other than two times world champion Michael Schumacher in a Ferrari was to eat his brake dust this time.
A disastrous race at San Marino saw him retiring after climbing from way below the grid up to sixth position. He faced a similar fate at Monaco when he was forced into a barrier by Forti Ford that was six laps behind! A demanding drive in the rain and third position at Spain, an emotional second at Canada where the track is named after his father (Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal) and a strong second place behind Damon Hill at Magny Cours, France, was the way the season progressed. The rookie was proving too hot for the experienced F1 pilots. A strong showing at Silverstone, UK saw him denying victory to team mate Hill at his home Grand Prix. He was still second behind Hill in the championship.
Damon Hill extended his lead to 21 points at the German GP at Hockenheim but a magnificent drive by Villeneuve brought the championship race within his reach at 17 points between him and Hill. Third behind a charging Schumacher and a finish out of the points at Monza followed. But Damon Hill in the other Williams was also not faring well and going into the last two races at Estroil and Suzuka, the two were just 13 points adrift.
Chasing the champion
Pulses quickened in the Formula One world as the Estroil track was set on fire by Villeneuve, and TV commentators who were still learning to pronounce his name correctly were now predicting the rookie winning the championship. After a poor start from second on the grid Villeneuve blasted Michael Schumacher away in a brilliant pass on lap number 16 and moved in third place. Three perfectly articulated pit stops meant that Villeneuve rejoined the race 0.25 seconds ahead of Damon Hill and he was in no mood to relinquish that.
The Championship was to be decided in the last GP at Suzuka Japan. He needed a win and Damon Hill out of the points to take the Drivers Championship to Canada. Right on cue, he was on pole at Suzuka. But a terrible start meant that he slipped to sixth and after setting the fastest lap Villeneuve was steadily catching up the ladder when his rear wheel came off at lap 37. His Championship hopes crashed along with the Williams Renault into the barrier. Damon Hill became champion, the moment the wheel came off. It was a horrible end to a titanic chase for the Championship, but Villeneuve could take solace in the fact that not many Formula One drivers finish second in their debut season.
Does he think he owes it to his genes ? Not at all. Very much like his former Williams team mate, Damon Hill, Villeneuve is his own man. He is proud of his fathers achievements but determined to forge his own racing career and identity.
Up there though, pere Gilles must be watching proudly as fils Jacques is already leading by a wide margin after just three races. For many, tipping Jacques as the 1997 Formula One champion is about as predictable as sunrise.