Villeneuve covets Ferrari drive

Jacques Villeneuve admitted today that he would consider driving for Ferrari one day - but only if Michael Schumacher is not there.

The 1997 World Champion is desperate to get back into a winning car after his difficult years with British American racing.

But the Canadian said he would refuse to join Ferrari if it meant being number two to his old rival Schumacher.

Villeneuve has been linked with Formula 1’s most famous team several times in the past, especially as his father Gilles drove for them until his death at the Belgium Grand Prix 20 years ago last month.

‘‘Every driver wants to be in a winning team and Ferrari are the winning team at the moment,’’ said Villeneuve in Montreal today as he began preparations for his home race on Sunday.

‘‘If I had the chance to drive for Ferrari one day it would certainly be a very interesting offer.

"But it would depend if Michael was still there or not.

‘‘I would not join a team if I was going to be told to make way for Michael at some stage.

‘‘I could have had team orders imposed in my contract at BAR but I wouldn’t do that. At BAR we race against each other.’’

Villeneuve hit out at Schumacher after the German was gifted victory in Austria last month when Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello was ordered to move over for him.

The 31-year-old said Schumacher should have acted like a man and refused to accept a gifted victory.

There is little likelihood of Villeneuve, who clinched the World title with Williams after surviving Schumacher’s attempt to ram him off the track in their title decider, joining Ferrari for the foreseeable future.

Villeneuve is contracted to BAR until the end of next season - though speaking at his restaurant today he demanded a winning car from them - while Schumacher and Barrichello are tied to Ferrari until the end of the 2004 campaign.