Villeneuve: A pay driver with Jaguar?

[Jay]

This one's interesting...

http://www.tsn.ca/auto_racing/news_s...me=auto_racing

Villeneuve goes looking for sponsors

TSN.ca Staff

11/8/2003

If Jacques Villeneuve returns to Formula One racing next season, it will be with Jaguar Racing.

RDS reports that Villeneuve's management team have been courting various Quebec-based companies about potential sponsorship which would help solidify the Canadian's position at Jaguar.

Villeneuve's manager Craig Pollock has reportedly hired Slam Management, a sports marketing firm in Montreal, to find approximately $5-million US in financing necessary to land the coveted seat. Despite approaching some 30 companies, there have been very few takers to date.

Jaguar is the only competitive seat left in Formula One for 2004. Team management have hinted that the successful candidate may need to bring additional sponsorship to the team.

McLaren test driver Alex Wurz has been tipped as the frontrunner for the vacancy. He is said to have additional backing from Austrian firms. Justin Wilson will have one final chance to secure the ride when he tests alongside Mark Webber next month.

Jordan and Minardi also have openings, but such a move for the former world champion would be a step backward in terms of competition.

I know it's not exactly being a
pay' driver if you're bringing sponsors...but, what a level to fall for an F1 Champ. One year you're the second highest paid, the next you need to bring money if you're going to race.

Also, I think it's rather sad that a team on the level of Jaguar - supported by Ford, in the highest level of autoracing on earth, requires one of their drivers (which ideal should be the best in the best in the world), to bring money to race for them. Is that a rather sad part of our sport?

[Gt_R]

It's unhealthy for both JV and Jaguar.

Firstly, it's disappointing for Jaguar to resort to pay driver (or sponsored drivers) if they want to be taken seriously. Obviously, they had strayed from their ambitions to be the "British Green Ferrari". It simply throws credibility away when a team compromises their driver choice by financial factors.

If JV could up his performance and put in a good show, i won't mind him being in the Jaguar. But what's the odds that he'd get beaten by Webber?

Seeking Sponsorship is a fall and dent to the ego of a ex-World Champion, but really, JV should learn to put his ego on hold and focus on getting jobs done. Hopefully JV learnt from his final years at BAR and come back a better man.

Unfortunately, the bad press JV recieve in recent years, his lack of motivation/results being highlighted in the media, would backfire on his plans to gain sponsorship. Afterall, the only way many mega-company boss's access to F1 is through TV/newspaper/internet, and hence, they won't be unaware of JV's dimming career.

[Hazza]

Lets look at it this way: if he doesn't get the seat we'll never know, but if he does...

[GTRMagic]

If Jackie V pays or brings sponsors to Jag and the money is used to make Webber's car go faster, who really cares if Jackie can do the job driving-wise or not???

[Mark Webber]

JV or Wurz it won't matter to Mark

[BARrouette]

This is not good for Jag, pepole will think they sell cheap cars ,do you see ferrari dooing like minardi and cie.
Brand name cars like Toyota , Ferrari and Jag should not do such thing it is not good for thier company status.
As for JV he dont care to pay now he is loaded $$$
but i am shure that he want that seat to show how good he can be (when he want) .

[Adam43]

There are some odd ideas about pay drivers going around at the moment. Firstly it is very rare for a drive to use there own money to pay for a drive. Hardly ever happens nowadays. All 'pay drivers' bring sponsorship, that is how it happens.

Secondly practically all drivers do this. Even the amount of money that Ferrari get is dependent on Michael being there! I suppose the difference is that Michael gets paid too.

IMO whether Jacques brings money is irrelevant. It is twice as irrelevant whether he brings his own money or not. It will just be how he performs in the car.

Oh and this is just a comedy story anyway.

[racer69]

Desperate times call for desperate measures, if he's serious about staying in F1.

Ronnie Peterson had to resort to similiar ideas for 1978

[Smokey 6 litre]

JV should accept his fate, even IF her does get a drive he'll be outshone by Mark Webber and be in an even worse postition next year...give it up Jaques!

[ASCII Man]

Oh, shut up!

[TeddyG]

I dunno a drive at Jaguar could be dangerous for JV. It's pretty obvious that last year Jaguar only had the ability to field one decent car (hmmm kinda like BAR really) and that decent car went to Webber, he is the future of that team (hmmm kinda like DR's relationship with Butt-boy really!) so it is likely that JV will once again get substandard equipment.
Jaguar wanting a pay-driver only demonstrates more their inability to produce a credible F1 team. Does anybody know of any promising moves Jaguar has made that might indicate they will do any better next year?

[Wrex]

Originally posted by ASCII Man
Oh, shut up!

Settle keystrokes, we all have to read things we dont like.

[corkholio]

Someone should let (edit - we dont need that either cork - Wrex) know that Jag is after the JV with the TRUST money.

[Mark Webber]

All this Jag needs a pay driver is rubbish the fact is if you a seat that needs filling in F1 and it was the best seat unfilled you would hold the seat to ransom it stand to logic to do so.
Its a win win for Jag with good drivers like Wurz , Nick , Jv all wanting to drive and r ready to pay as well . Jag r not in trouble there in a good position and making the most of it Ron or Frank would do the same thing

[Snrub]

I agree, it's rather pathetic that Jaguar resorts to pay drivers. Saving a couple $M on the driver and having the driver bring $5M to the seat doesn't seem to provide as much value as simply having the best driver they can get.

I think Jaguar definately has some issues. It doesn't make sense to favour one driver dramatically over another. There's no question that Webber is extremely good, but a second a lap at all tracks is more than just raw ability.

[TeddyG]

Maybe its not so bad after all, if JV does land the Jag drive at least he is still in F1 and has a chance to prove himself (providing he gets an equally reliable car to his teammate) or if Wurz takes the Jaguar drive there will be an opening for JV to take his McLaren testing spot as has been rumoured. I think I'd actually prefer him to take the McLaren test role since I doubt Jag will give him equal treatment to Webber. And testing for a year may do JV well in increasing his motivation to race hard in 2005. Also my money is on McLaren to win the WDC next year so I am sure if he tests for them many teams will want him for 2005.

Still a Williams re-union would be best, but I suppose that is beyond a dream at this point.

[Mark Webber]

I dont understand some of you guys ? How is it bad For Jag to have drivers pay them instead of paying them . Wurz, JV,Nick and co all want to drive more than anything and Jag is the Best seat left so a $5mil tag is nothing to drivers chopping at the bit to drive .
it not like the drivers in the running are not good Wurz , JV, Nick are all good drivers plus THEY will pay .

Jag current Management should get a A+ for this

[ElScOrChO]

At least, they are talented pay drivers and deserves a drive in F1! It's not like some drivers that Jordan and Minardi employ.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by TeddyG
(hmmm kinda like DR's relationship with Butt-boy really!)

Why do some JV fans have to resort to calling Jenson silly names just because he beat their man this season?

And this isn't the only site i've seen it on?

[Super Tourer]

Guys - lets keep the name calling out of the threads, it doesn't add to the debate.

ST

[Glen]

No - Butt boy is fair enough - Jacques called him that because he only ever saw him from behind.

From the story it sounds as if JV will struggle to find the backing anyway

All drivers are pay drivers to a degree - even Schumacher, since Ferrari's sponsors' committment would certainly be affected by his being here or not. Vodafone, Malborough, Shell etc might not come in a contractual package tied to Schumacher's employment, but I bet there would be some written committment somewhere along the line.

[Redblurr]

Villeneuve can pay to watch just like the rest of us

[GP Racer]

The weight of JV's baggage is to heavy for any team to take on. He's done, his bridges are burned, the price to high(even if he pays!)

The proof of how bad JV has become, will be next year, as we watch Button and Sato give BAR the best year they've ever had. I'm looking forward to it!

[ASCII Man]

Nevermind...

[ralf fan]

actually JV has said the last thing he wants to do is 'buy' a seat!

http://f1.racing-live.com/en/headlin...13164630.shtml