Formula One: Villenuve slams 'crazy' critics over home tactics

Jacques Villeneuve has branded as ‘‘crazy’’ critics who claim his crash-marred record in Canada is due to his desperation to impress the local fans.

The presence of the 1997 world champion has sparked record crowds of over 100,000 in recent seasons on the Montreal circuit named after his late father Gilles.

The fans are still waiting to acclaim a Villeneuve victory in his home race and his British American Racing team is unlikely to provide him with a winning package in tomorrow’s 69-lap battle.

Villeneuve’s 150mph shunt in first practice for the race was the latest in a series of setbacks he has suffered on the temporary track on an island in the St Lawrence seeway.

The 30-year-old was denied the perfect Formula One bow when he was beaten into second place by then Williams team-mate Damon Hill in 1996, but since then anything that could go wrong for the French-Canadian invariably has.

Villeneuve’s title-winning campaign did not include a home victory as he embarrassingly crashed out right in front of the grand stand and his Williams pit while leading.

The following year, as Williams began to enter their doldrum years after so much success in the early 1990s, Villeneuve again snatched the lead only to promptly skim across the grass, tangle with a backmarker, and finish a lowly 10th.

The switch to his current BAR team brought no change of fortune in 1999 as he crashed near the home straight though his immediate predecessors as world champion, Hill and Michael Schumacher, also came a cropper at the same spot that year.

A collision with the Williams of Ralf Schumacher last year just seconds after he had made a dramatic passing move on McLaren’s David Coulthard despite being given the wrong tyres at a pit-stop left him back in 15th spot.

But Villeneuve insists his miserable record on the track just a short drive from his home town of St Jean-sur-Richelieu has not been caused by the pressure to perform on his home track.

‘‘That would be crazy,’’ said Villeneuve, whose crash in practice left his monocoque beyond repair.

‘‘When you try to put a show on you end up hitting the barrier and looking more stupid.

‘‘Ninety-seven was probably the worst when I hit the wall on the second lap. The funny thing is I didn’t even think I was going fast.

‘‘I was just relaxed, taking it easy and thinking about the end of the race. Suddenly I found myself in the wall. It was really weird and very unexpected.

‘‘It’s not like I was pushing hard on the limit and then overdrove. That’s why I found it a little bit surprising.

‘‘Last year we were actually quite fast in the wet but then we had a stupid radio miscommunication.

‘‘There weren’t many laps left and what’s the point of finishing 10th or something? You have to overtake people. So you just go for it. It didn’t work out but that’s what racing is you have to take risks. You shouldn’t just sit there.

‘‘I was trying to overtake David, not Ralf but somehow Ralf ended up in the way. I was just going for it, taking the risk. It didn’t work out because I outbraked myself.’’

Villeneuve relishes his annual return to his homeland, adding: ‘‘Racing in Canada means a lot to me.

‘‘I feel deeply attached to my country. It’s a good track to race on, not so much to qualify on because it’s not very interesting, but for racing there are a lot of overtaking opportunities.

‘‘Normally we have been competitive in Montreal, it’s just the races didn’t turn out too well. At least we were competitive so I can actually look forward to going there.’’

Villeneuve, whose father died at the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix, spent much of his childhood in Europe and it was not until 1993 that he actually raced in front of his fellow Quebecois.

The Monaco-based driver won on his debut, triumphing in a Formula Atlantic race which was supporting the grand prix, before he stepped up to CART winning the title in 1995 then making the switch to Formula One.

Villeneuve may have spent most of his life in Europe his skiing instructor at school in Switzerland was Craig Pollock, who became his manager and now heads the BAR team but he increased his ties with Montreal this week by opening a restaurant in the town.

‘‘I wouldn’t say it’s for the future, just my roots in general,’’ said Villeneuve, of the restaurant, Newtown, which is a literal translation of his name.

‘‘It’s a little attachment to my home country and to my home town so I have an excuse to go back once in a while.

‘‘I love actually being in Montreal itself. I love the town, I love the people and its always great to be back home. It’s definitely my favourite town.

‘‘The people are great very open, very friendly and there’s a good mood.

People enjoy going out and are happy about being alive and living. That atmosphere comes out and it’s great.’’