|
|
| |
BAR drivers in 2004
|
|
|
2002.09.02
|
|
| |
With Jacques
Villeneuve and Jenson Button already confirmed as BAR drivers for
next year, there is already speculation about what will happen in
2004 when Villeneuve's deal ends.
The team was hoping that Villeneuve
would agree to go to race in America next year so that the money
spent on his salary could be invested instead in technology and
developing the team.
|
|
| |
 |
|
Jacques
and Olivier share a laugh during Friday practice at Spa.
Photo: BAT/LAT Photo.
|
|
|
| |
That deal has failed to
materialize and well-informed sources say that as a result
Villeneuve will not now be asked to continue beyond the end of the
deal. The team will start looking for a suitable replacement quite
quickly. One obvious candidate for the job would be Takuma Sato as
it is unlikely that he will be retained by Jordan in 2003 given the
fact that the Irishman has now split with Honda.
The logical thing would
be for Sato to become the main BAR test driver in 2003 with a deal
to race for the team in 2004 and 2005. This depends to a large
extent on the team's new marketing plan but it would certainly be
good for Honda.
Another option would be
to buy Mark Webber out of his Renault contract, leave him with
Minardi next year and then switch him to BAR with Button in 2004.
The big question is
whether or not Villeneuve, who is 31, is an attractive enough
package for one of the top teams to take interest in the future. He
is a former CART champion and Indianapolis 500 winner and the World
Champion of 1997 but since making the decision to join BAR his
career has drifted without any major results. His performances when
compared to those of Olivier Panis have not really been value for
money and his attitude towards promotional work is, at best,
unrealistic. This was fine as long as Pollock was running BAR but he
has been ousted and things have changed.
Given Ferrari's total
domination of F1 at the moment, the Italian team is under increasing
pressure to have two drivers who are allowed to fight between
themselves - if only to make the F1 show more exciting. Putting
Villeneuve head-to-head with Michael Schumacher at Ferrari would be
an attractive idea for those who are trying to protect the
commercial aspects of the sport. Michael Schumacher might not want
to agree to such a deal but he is hardly likely to leave Ferrari as
a result - although it might explain rumors recently that he is
planning to retire earlier than expected.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Other
stories:
|
