Jacques Villeneuve

Name: Jacques Villeneuve

Nationality: Canada

Date of birth: April 9, 1972 - St Jean sur Richelieu, Canada

Like Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve is another second-generation Grand Prix driver who escaped the long shadow of a famous father to become World Champion through his own efforts and on his own terms.

He claims he was always going to follow in his father's footsteps, though Jacques was just 11 years old when Gilles was killed in 1982. Brought up in Monaco rather than his native Canada, Villeneuve has been guided from the beginning by Craig Pollock, his former sports master at school. After an initial foray in saloon cars, Villeneuve learned his craft in F3 in Italy and Japan before moving Stateside and the American Formula Atlantic championship.

This campaign was backed by Players cigarettes, which helped his graduation to Indycars in 1994. A promising season was followed by a superb one in 1995 as he took victory in the Indianapolis 500 as well as the Indycar championship. This, together with the desire by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone to see an ÔAmerican' driver in F1, eased him straight into the top Grand Prix team in the business for 1996.

After putting his Williams on pole position for his F1 debut, Villeneuve scored three wins and took the championship battle with teammate Damon Hill down to the wire. At Estoril he also earned the ultimate respect of the F1 world by doing the unthinkable - passing Michael Schumacher round the outside.

Credentials thus established, Villeneuve headed into 1997 looking to go one better than his '96 runner-up position. After beginning the year strongly, he suffered some midseason 'wobbles' - crashing out of the lead in Canada through pure driving error, being off the pace in both France and Germany - which was all the inspired Schumacher needed to take the lead of the series. A strong fight back by Williams and Villeneuve looked like reaping its reward though, until the penultimate round in Japan where Villeneuve was suspended for a practice yellow flag infringement - his fourth of the season - and Schumacher won.

All of which left Villeneuve virtually neck and neck with the German for a dramatic showdown at Jerez for the European Grand Prix. Though Schumacher made the early running, after both drivers had made their routine stops, Jacques began to hunt the Ferrari down. Once it was in his sights he decided to surprise Schumacher by diving for the inside from a long way back. It was a beautiful move and Schumacher indeed was surprised. When he realized his error he turned into the Williams but succeeded only in putting himself into the gravel trap and out of the race. Villeneuve continued in the lead and on the last lap allowed the McLarens of Hakkinen and Coulthard to overtake him. His championship was thus secure, and had been won the hard way.

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