Jacques Villeneuve has returned to sportscar racing for the long-term, the Canadian driver told MotorsportWeek.com at Sebring.
When asked if this was a long-term program, he replied unequivocally: “Definitely. It’s a big endeavour. Family, work-wise, everything. So it’s a decision you make because you can focus on it, and you have other people in the family making sacrifices. So yeah, it’s not something you just do for fun,” he said.
And, simply put, the motivation for his return was what the 1997 F1 world champion called “the opportunity.” He continued: “I’ve always wanted to be part of such a program. But until now it was what, one team. And they’ve got set drivers so you just couldn’t get in. So I’ve been doing on and off races in different categories, never full programs.”
The aim for the 51-year-old racing driver is to compete and win at Le Mans, in order to complete the triple crown, made up of, in this definition, the Indianapolis 500, which Villenueve won in 1995, the F1 World Championship, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans — which he has yet to win.
“Yeah, that’s the aim [to win Le Mans overall],” he said, chuckling, “but it probably won’t happen this year.” Villeneuve is racing for the Vanwall team in the FIA World Endurance Championship this year. The team finished eighth overall at Sebring, in front of both beleaguered factory Peugeots — a good result for a new car, and for a team not known for producing reliable cars.
Vanwall used to be known as ByKolles, competing in the WEC for many years with the ENSO CLM P1-01. However, a car of the team’s own design has never finished at Le Mans, a record they’ll be hoping, along with Villenueve, to change this year with the rebrand into Vanwall and the new Vandervell 680.
Villenueve, meanwhile, has never competed before now in WEC, but did race at Le Mans for Peugeot in the 908 HDi FAP in 2007 and 2008, finishing second in the latter year. However, he never did a full Le Mans Series season — making this his first full sportscar season in any series, which he confirmed, as per the entry list, he would be doing.
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