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JV smashes CART offer story
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Daily
F1
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2002.08.29
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Jacques Villeneuve has
stated that there was never an offer put to him to drive in the CART
series next year with Gerry Forsythe's Player's team.
There were reports earlier this week
suggesting British American Tobacco, major backer of the Player's
CART and British American Racing F1 teams, had put together a $50
million offer for Villeneuve to drive a season in the States next
year and then return to BAR in 2004 and 2005. It was then reported
that Villeneuve and his manager Craig Pollock had turned down the
offer, asking for a further seven million over three years.
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Jacques
in action during Friday practice at Spa.
Photo: BAT/LAT Photo.
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But Villeneuve, who
admitted he would consider such a proposal, said there had been no
approaches.
'I never received a
proposal for anything,' he said. 'For six months I have been saying
that I have a contract (with BAR) for next year.
'There were rumours
saying that it would be a good idea, but there was never an offer.
It makes me laugh. If a proposal like that was made, I would think
about it, but it was not.'
Pollock, who ran British
American Racing until December last year, backed up his driver's
comments.
'All this is false,' he
said firmly. 'We never received an offer, either verbally or in
writing. I was very surprised and immediately called Gerry Forsythe
and also (BAT Boss) Bob Bixon and they were as surprised as I was.
It is clear that Jacques has a concrete contract with BAR for 2003.
'There were perhaps
internal discussions between BAR and British American Tobacco as
during the Grand Prix of Montreal, Player's asked me whether Jacques
would be interested in doing a final year in CART. I simply answered
that it would be necessary to talk with BAT and BAR because he is
under contract with them.
'That is all.'
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