17/08/2006
NEWS STORY
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The artist formerly known as World Champion, Jacques Villeneuve, who appears to have taken part in his last ever World Championship Grand Prix, has fired off a bitter parting salvo at Michael Schumacher, accusing the seven-time champion of being a cheat and liar, and warning that when he does retire the German will quickly be forgotten.
Writing in The Guardian, Alan Henry uses quotes from an interview with the 1997 World Champion, which appears in a forthcoming issue of F1 Racing.
"I think the problem is that you don't ever see his true personality," says Villeneuve of his former nemesis. "He's a racer - but a pure racer, nothing but a racer and, because of that, I think the day he hangs up his helmet people will just forget him.
"Senna, by contrast, will never be forgotten," adds the Canadian, who never raced against the Brazilian. "Some of that is the James Dean factor, of course, because he was killed in action at a young age, but not all of it. I don't even think Michael will live on in people's memories as strong or as long as Prost has - certainly not as strong or as long as Mansell has. Those people attained a hero status that Michael never has and never will."
Having set out his stall, Villeneuve continues: "Michael simply isn't a great champion because he's played too many dirty tricks and because he isn't a great human being. Yes, Senna played dirty tricks too but he did it with more class, more integrity. When he took Prost out at Suzuka in 1990, he said he was going to do it before the race. So, unlike Michael, who ridiculously insisted he was innocent at Monaco this year, Senna said, 'Yes, I did it. But I told you before the race that I was going to do it.' That's very different from what Michael did at Monaco and Jerez and Adelaide.
"Senna wasn't lying to the fans. Michael was. And the sad thing is that, of course, the fans accept it - they swear black is white, in fact - just so that they can go on respecting the sport they love. And Michael takes advantage of that loyalty."
Villeneuve is still incensed at Michael Schumacher's actions at Monaco this year, an incident that saw the Canadian resign from the Grand Prix Drivers' Association.
"He lies not only to fans but to his fellow drivers, too," says Villeneuve. "At the GPDA meeting at Silverstone he lied to us and he didn't even have the decency to appear embarrassed about it. He just stared in our eyes and lied. And we all knew we were being lied to but very few of us bothered to say anything because most are scared of Michael or just wanted the meeting to be over so that they could go and watch the World Cup, which was a pathetic way to behave when there was such an important matter under discussion.
"It's quite sad, really - because the reason Michael did what he did is that he thinks he's better than the rest of us. He thinks he's bigger than the sport, too, but he isn't. And when he retires, and no one really remembers him, that will become clear."
Villeneuve claims that there is a new generation of driver, intimidated by his team and therefore unable to think for themself, and unwilling to accept responsibility for their (on-track actions), though some might say that Michael Schumacher has only taken over where Ayrton Senna left off.
"Some drivers are totally willing to accept what their teams tell them - namely that they're at the bottom of the food chain," says the Canadian. "You know, 'You're here to drive, nothing more.'
"That affects their mind-sets adversely and that's why you never really get drivers admitting culpability in racing incidents these days. They can't even recognise their own culpability because they've been programmed not to admit to it. And because less intelligence and responsibility are expected of them, they display less intelligence and responsibility, which is ultimately a safety problem."
Having got his feelings for Michael Schumacher off his chest, rumours that in forthcoming interviews Villeneuve will give his opinion of David Richards and Mario Theissen remain unconfirmed.
If nothing else, this will keep Formula One message boards and forums busy for some time… (groan)