16/12/2005
NEWS STORY
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From the moment David Richards took the helm at BAR, it was clear that he had little time for former World Champion, Jacques Villeneuve.
The Canadian had been one of the founders of the Brackley outfit, and took the biggest gamble of his career by joining it in 1999, its debut season.
Ahead of the 2002 season, team founder, Craig Pollock, who is also Villeneuve's manager, was dumped and Richards brought in, in an attempt to revive the team. It was apparent that he was no fan of the 1997 World Champion and the die was truly cast when he signed Jenson Button for 2003, a move which had the desired effect, in more ways than one, with the Canadian quitting the team before the final race of the season.
Now, speaking to F1 Racing magazine in a review of the 2005 season, Richards has made it quite clear that he remains critical of Villeneuve and warns his new employers, BMW, that the Canadian is not the right man for the job.
"People have to make their own judgments on Jacques, and I made mine years ago," says Richards.
"Bluntly, he's past his sell-by date, and has been for some time," he added. "I know that Mario (Theissen) is retaining Jacques' services, but if I'd been him I wouldn't have even entertained the idea. In a difficult year, and 2006 will definitely be difficult for BMW, the last thing they need is someone like Jacques."
Just to rub it in, the Englishman admitted that he was surprised when Peter Sauber employed the Canadian in 2005.
"I was surprised to see that Peter employed Jacques and even more surprised when he explained the appointment by boasting that at last Sauber had hired a World Champion," said Richards. "It was a very odd decision, and it certainly didn't seem to work out.
"I sensed there were periods in the middle of the season, and even early on, where Peter's famously calm exterior showed the extent of his frustration with the Jacques situation."
It remains to be seen if Villeneuve will react to Richards' comments, though he is sure to have drawn some satisfaction from the Englishman's firing at the end of 2004.
In recent months, Richards has been linked with numerous teams, as F1 insiders speculate about his possible return to the paddock.