This is something I would like to ask the LFS community. Does anyone think Villeneuve has a chance at going back to NASCAR after crashing out of the Daytona 500 qualifying?

I read this: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/66806

Is the GP Masters a more viable option for JV and he's truly interested? Or is he just taking this because he cant find anyone to finance him for a NASCAR season?

Hopefully I wont be crucified for bringing up a NASCAR topic (and a rather uninteresting one even for NASCAR fans). But I'm genuinely curious about JV and his rather unsuccessful attempt at NASCAR. I would have preferred if JV became successful at NASCAR and stayed there, but I'd like to know if there's anything worth paying attention to between JV and NASCAR.

Thxs for any meaningful and mature response,
Lizard

It hasn't been worthwhile paying attention to Villeneuve for ten years. GP Masters was briefly interesting, just to see all those old dudes racing single seaters again (and Mansell thrashing everybody like usual), but I don't think it has long-term appeal.

Villeneuve will drive for Peugeot in 2 weeks at 1000km of Spa (Le Mans Series). He will also do Le Mans in June just like last year. I'd rather see him in these races in future...

He should just go back to Indy were he came from, i think it would best suit him, if Montoya goes back as well(maybe even ralf), maybe it might get on its feet like it did in the early 90s.

I guess I can give up hope seeing him in NASCAR

Wasn't he shit at NASCAR anyway? I don't think you're missing much.

Quote from thisnameistaken :

Wasn't he shit at NASCAR anyway? I don't think you're missing much.

Ya, he was more of a hazard than a competitor. But it was quite a novelty for an ex-formula 1 champion to compete in NASCAR and I would have preferred if he had stayed and started to do well.

Mercedes motorsport competition director Norbert Haug said on TV after the last DTM race, that he asked Villeneuve to come, whenever he has time, and have a test run in the DTM car. And that it would be a nice addition to have him racig in the DTM and for Mercedes. And he was interested bla bla etc.

So maybe we will see him there someday, as Ralf Schumacher also ended in the DTM after a test run in the Mercedes car.

Personally I prefer Villeneuve over most of todays (young) drivers simply because he's not afraid of saying his opinion and not just the usual PR bla bla.

Having said that, he's still driving Le Mans for Peugeot which isn't that bad. Dunno if he would really fit into DTM and their "touring" (big laugh) cars, but then again even Ralf surprised me with his speed, so you never know.

I would love to see him back more recently, I think he deserves a better finish to his career than he has now.

Shame for Villeneuve that things got bad for him at NASCAR, but he never really got to terms with the racing, and sponsorship was hard to come by for him, as unlike Dario who went in off the back of the IRL championship and the INDY 500 win, he went in after many years of European racing.

I do think that he should seriously look at the new/combained IRL, it would do that form a world of good to get some top names in just to bump up it's profile...otherwise it could go badly wrong (if it has'nt already). But he's still in the LeMans this year, maybe a Americian LeMans seat for next year then.

Quote from BBO@BSR :

Mercedes motorsport competition director Norbert Haug said on TV after the last DTM race, that he asked Villeneuve to come, whenever he has time, and have a test run in the DTM car. And that it would be a nice addition to have him racig in the DTM and for Mercedes. And he was interested bla bla etc.

Doesn't Merc have too much drivers anyway, when even Gary Paffet doesn't fit into their A-team? Isn't race winning more important than PR-value?

Quote from hyntty :

Doesn't Merc have too much drivers anyway, when even Gary Paffet doesn't fit into their A-team? Isn't race winning more important than PR-value?

Well you should ask that Norbert Haug, not me

Quote from lizardfolk :

Does anyone think Villeneuve has a chance at going back to NASCAR after crashing out of the Daytona 500 qualifying?

The career as a pop star didnt work out then?

I don't a GP Masters return will happen. Think Premier 1, never going to work. Maybe he could do ... er ... SuperLeagueFormula?

NASCAR is probably no-go for JV. It would have been nice to see him succeed in it.

I think he'd be a choice fit for Le Mans and other GT prototype series, like ALMS or the Le Mans Series. His experience in F1 will probably be very beneficial to whichever team he drives for. NASCAR might not have been his style, but he's still a world-class driver.

Quote from samjh :

NASCAR is probably no-go for JV. It would have been nice to see him succeed in it.

I think he'd be a choice fit for Le Mans and other GT prototype series, like ALMS or the Le Mans Series. His experience in F1 will probably be very beneficial to whichever team he drives for. NASCAR might not have been his style, but he's still a world-class driver.

I'd like to see JV in ALMS, or a similar series.

NASCAR has become too annoying for me to watch, and I started watching in 1988. It used to be more interesting, and now it just a variant of NFL coverage. Mostly commercials and I think the US announcers aren't the best, either. But then I am spoiled by US F1 announcers Varsha and Hobbs.

I wish I could get DTM and other motor sports here. Fox rules mostly, and that means mostly NASCAR and other crap.

I just have to figure out a car I want to use as a sub for an Audi Lemans Prototype in LFS. Can I put fenders on the BMW F1 car?

Grins,
RW

Quote from RabidWolf :

I'd like to see JV in ALMS, or a similar series.

That would be interesting. Maybe Rolex would be good for him

Quote from RabidWolf :

NASCAR has become too annoying for me to watch, and I started watching in 1988. It used to be more interesting, and now it just a variant of NFL coverage. Mostly commercials and I think the US announcers aren't the best, either.

I wouldn't really know, I wasn't born then . But I did remember that NASCAR had far less commercials.

Quote from RabidWolf :

I wish I could get DTM and other motor sports here. Fox rules mostly, and that means mostly NASCAR and other crap.

That would be great, but Rolex does a good job of feeding my sports car need

Quote from RabidWolf :

I just have to figure out a car I want to use as a sub for an Audi Lemans Prototype in LFS. Can I put fenders on the BMW F1 car?

Grins,
RW

I would like a prototype in LFS. Then we can have a true Le Mans series

(I like Daytona prototype)

Well, JV was part of the winning trio at the European Le Mans series race at Spa.

First race win in 11 years!!!

Sports cars is probably where he'll stay. He's too old and washed up for Formula 1 (in the eyes of team owners anyways). He couldn't find money to do NASCAR (and its incredibly hard to make it in NASCAR with a new team because of their qualifying rules). And other single driver series like Indy cars, A1GP, DTM, or V8 supercars probably don't hold any allure for him.

I don't know if JV will do any other races in LMS, visit to 1000km of Spa last weekend was just a preparation to Le Mans. He clearly has interest though but I don't think Peugeot has free seats for the LMS season in the future either because they have strong factory driver lineup. Le Mans obviously needs 3 drivers per car so that's different.

(FYI as it always gets confusing: LMS = Le Mans Series, consists of five 1000km races, 24 hours of Le Mans is not part of the championship)