Villeneuve needs to change: Pollock

Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve may have to change his ways if he wants to get a drive with one of the top teams again, his manager has claimed.

Craig Pollock reckons Villeneuve’s verbal outbursts and his dislike of sponsor appearances has seen him overlooked by the likes of Ferrari, McLaren and Williams.

“Is Jacques being black-balled by the F1 fraternity because of his outspoken personality and opinionated personality? The answer to that is, in certain respects, yes because Jacques will never change,” said Pollock.

“Would it help for him to change, to move on? I certainly believe that everyone should move on in life and learn from experience and sometimes I do believe that it would not do Jacques any harm to maybe bend a little bit at times.”

Villeneuve’s contract with British American Racing - the team founded and run until last year by Pollcok - finishes at the end of 2003.

The Canadian wants to start fighting for victories again having not been in a competitive car since winning the world title with Williams in 1997 in only his second season in F1 having finished runner-up to Damon Hill the year before.

Villeneuve has been linked with McLaren in the past but his dislike of promotional activities - he is understood to have a clause in his contract limiting the number of days he does to a handful - would prove a handicap.