Jacques Villeneuve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jacques Villeneuve
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Villeneuve in 2010
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| Born |
Jacques Joseph Charles Villeneuve
April 9, 1971 Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada
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| Spouse(s) |
Johanna Martinez
(m. 2006; div. 2009)Camila Andrea López Lillo
(m. 2012; div. 2020)Giulia Marra
(m. 2023) |
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| Children | 7 | ||||||
| Parent(s) | Gilles Villeneuve (father) | ||||||
| Relatives | Jacques-Joseph Villeneuve (uncle) | ||||||
| Formula One World Championship career | |||||||
| Nationality |  Canadian |
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| Active years | 1996–2006 | ||||||
| Teams | Williams, BAR, Renault, Sauber, BMW Sauber | ||||||
| Entries | 165 (163 starts) | ||||||
| Championships | 1 (1997) | ||||||
| Wins | 11 | ||||||
| Podiums | 23 | ||||||
| Career points | 235 | ||||||
| Pole positions | 13 | ||||||
| Fastest laps | 9 | ||||||
| First entry | 1996 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||
| First win | 1996 European Grand Prix | ||||||
| Last win | 1997 Luxembourg Grand Prix | ||||||
| Last entry | 2006 German Grand Prix | ||||||
| Champ Car career | |||||||
| 33 races run over 2 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 1st (1995) | ||||||
| First race | 1994 FAI IndyCar Grand Prix (Surfers Paradise) | ||||||
| Last race | 1995 Monterey Grand Prix (Laguna Seca) | ||||||
| First win | 1994 Texaco/Havoline 200 (Road America) | ||||||
| Last win | 1995 Cleveland Grand Prix (Cleveland) | ||||||
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| 24 Hours of Le Mans career | |||||||
| Years | 2007–2008 | ||||||
| Teams | Peugeot | ||||||
| Best finish | 2nd (2008) | ||||||
| Class wins | 0 | ||||||
Jacques Villeneuve (born 9 April 1971) is a Canadian former racing driver. He competed in IndyCar from 1994 to 1995. He also raced in Formula One from 1996 to 2006. Villeneuve won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1997 with Williams. He also won 11 Grands Prix during his career. In American open-wheel racing, Villeneuve won the IndyCar World Series and the Indianapolis 500 in 1995.
Jacques Villeneuve was born in Quebec, Canada. He grew up in Monaco. His father, Gilles Villeneuve, was also a famous Formula One driver. His uncle, Jacques-Joseph, was also a racing driver. At 17, Jacques began racing in Italy. He later moved to the Toyota Atlantic Championship. In 1994, he joined the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART). He finished sixth in the championship and was named Rookie of the Year. The next year, he won four races, including the Indianapolis 500. He also won the Drivers' Championship.
Villeneuve joined Williams in Formula One for the 1996 season. He won four Grand Prix races. He was the first rookie to finish second in the World Drivers' Championship. In 1997, he battled Ferrari's Michael Schumacher for the title. Villeneuve won the championship after a crash at the final race. He became the first Canadian F1 World Champion. He won seven Grand Prix races that year. In 1998, he finished fifth in the championship.
After 1998, Villeneuve joined the new British American Racing (BAR) team. The team struggled at first. In 1999, his car was fast but often broke down. He did not score any points that year. In 2000 and 2001, he finished seventh in the championship with BAR. He achieved two podium finishes in 2001. From 2002 to 2006, he raced for BAR, Renault, Sauber, and BMW Sauber. He did not win any more races during this time.
Villeneuve left Formula One in 2006. He then raced in other types of motorsport. These included sports car racing, NASCAR, and touring car racing. He won the 2008 1000 km of Spa with Peugeot. Villeneuve has received several awards for his racing career. He is in the Canadian Motor Sports Hall of Fame. He is also in Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Jacques Villeneuve was born on April 9, 1971. This was in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada. His father, Gilles Villeneuve, was a famous Ferrari racer. His mother is Joann Barthe. Jacques has two sisters, Melanie and Jessica. His uncle, Jacques Sr., was also a racer. Jacques spent his childhood traveling with his parents to races.
In 1978, his family moved to Monaco. This was to be closer to Ferrari's headquarters. From ages 12 to 17, Jacques attended a private boarding school in Switzerland. He was good at skiing. He also tried BASE jumping, ice hockey, and motocross. He left school by agreement between his mother and the school.
Starting a Racing Career
Jacques wanted to race from a young age. In May 1982, his father died in a racing accident. After this, Jacques was less interested in racing. He worried about the dangers. In 1984, he asked his mother if he could race. She agreed, but only if he improved his math grades.
In 1985, Jacques tested a go-kart and a Formula 4 car in Italy. He impressed the track owners. In 1986, his uncle enrolled him in a racing school in Canada. He learned to drive a Formula Ford 1600 car.
In 1987, Villeneuve went to another racing school. He worked in a mechanics' program to pay for it. At 17, he made his car racing debut in Italy. He drove an Alfa Romeo 33. He could not get a license in Canada or Italy because of his age. So, he got an international racing license in Andorra. He did not do well in these first races.
Formula Three Racing
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Villeneuve signed a three-year contract to race in Italian Formula Three. He drove a Reynard-Alfa Romeo car. He struggled at first. He learned from a driving instructor. In 1989, he did not score any points. In 1990, he scored ten points. In 1991, he finished sixth overall with 20 points. He also had three podium finishes.
In 1992, Villeneuve moved to Japan. He raced in the Japanese Formula 3 Championship. He won three races. He finished second in the championship with 45 points. People in racing started to notice him. In August, he raced in the Formula Atlantic event in Canada. He finished third. He also tested a Group C Toyota car.
Moving to American Open-Wheel Racing
Villeneuve met crew chief Barry Green in Canada. Green wanted him to drive for his new team. Jacques signed a three-year contract in November 1992. He raced in the 1993 Atlantic Championship first. This was to get used to American open-wheel racing. He won five races. He finished third overall with 185 points. He was named the series' Rookie of the Year.
CART Racing (1994–1995)
In 1994, Villeneuve started racing in CART. He drove a Reynard 94I-Ford XB car. He debuted in Australia. He finished 17th after a crash. At the Indianapolis 500, he finished second. He was the highest-finishing rookie. He won his first CART race at Road America. He finished sixth in the championship with 94 points. He was named Rookie of the Year.
For the 1995 season, Villeneuve stayed with Team Green. He won the first race in Miami. His biggest win was the Indianapolis 500. He was penalized two laps for passing the safety car. But he still managed to win the race. He then won two more races. He clinched the championship at the final race. He won the title with 172 points, four wins, and six pole positions.
Formula One Career
Williams Team (1996–1998)
In 1995, the Williams F1 team was interested in Villeneuve. He tested a Williams car. He signed a contract for 1996 and 1997. He spent six months testing and learning the circuits.
1996 Season
Villeneuve drove the FW18 car. It had a powerful Renault engine. He learned a lot from his teammate, Damon Hill. He was not expected to win the title. But he fought for the championship with Hill. He got pole position in his first race in Australia. He finished second despite an oil leak. He won his first F1 race in Europe. He also won in Britain, Hungary, and Portugal. He finished second to Hill in the championship with 78 points. He was the first rookie to win four Grand Prix races. He was also the first to finish runner-up overall.
1997 Season
For the 1997 season, Villeneuve became the lead driver for Williams. He raced against Michael Schumacher for the championship. Villeneuve trained hard. He drove a very good FW19 car. He won seven Grand Prix races. He also got pole position eight times. At the final race in Europe, Villeneuve and Schumacher were close in points. Villeneuve started from pole position. He and Schumacher crashed during the race. Schumacher had to retire, and Villeneuve won the championship. He was the first Canadian F1 World Champion. He was also one of only two drivers to win the F1 World Championship, the CART title, and the Indianapolis 500.
1998 Season
Villeneuve stayed with Williams for 1998. His car was not as good as the year before. It had older engines. He scored points in nine races. His best finishes were third in Germany and Hungary. He crashed during practice in Belgium but was not hurt. He finished fifth in the Drivers' Championship with 21 points.
British American Racing (1999–2003)
Villeneuve left Williams after 1998. He joined the new British American Racing (BAR) team. He wanted to build a team around him, like Michael Schumacher did.
1999–2000 Seasons
In 1999, Villeneuve's BAR 01 car was fast but often broke down. He failed to finish the first eleven races. He only finished four races all season. He did not score any points. He had a big crash in Belgium but was uninjured.
For the 2000 season, his BAR 002 car had a more reliable Honda engine. He finished fourth in Australia. He also finished fourth in France, Austria, and the United States. He scored points in the last two races. He finished seventh in the championship with 17 points. His performance was much better than in 1999.
2001–2003 Seasons
Villeneuve signed a new three-year contract with BAR in 2000. He wanted to win races and finish third in the championship. His 003 car was reliable but lacked speed. In Australia, his car was involved in an accident that sadly killed a marshal. Villeneuve achieved BAR's first two podiums. He finished third in Spain and Germany. He finished seventh in the championship with 12 points.
Villeneuve stayed at BAR for 2002. The BAR 004 car was less reliable and slower. He scored four points. His best result was fourth in Britain. He regretted staying with BAR because of the poor results.
In 2003, Villeneuve remained at BAR. He had a difficult relationship with his teammate, Jenson Button. He often retired from races due to mechanical problems. He finished sixth in Brazil and Italy. Before the final race, BAR told him he was no longer needed. He was replaced by Takuma Sato. He finished 16th in the championship with 6 points.
Renault and Sauber (2004–2006)
Villeneuve took a break from F1 after leaving BAR. He considered racing in NASCAR. In 2004, he signed a two-year contract with Sauber for the 2005 season.
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Before joining Sauber, Villeneuve raced for Renault in the last three races of 2004. He finished all three races but did not score any points.
At Sauber in 2005, Villeneuve had a difficult car to drive. He did not have a good relationship with the team. He finished fourth in San Marino. He also scored points in France and Belgium. He finished 14th in the championship with 9 points.
For 2006, Villeneuve stayed with the renamed BMW Sauber team. He found the car easier to drive. However, the team boss criticized him for not getting good results. He scored 7 points in the first 11 races. He retired from the German Grand Prix due to muscle pain. BMW Sauber then ended his contract. He was replaced by Robert Kubica. Villeneuve tried to return to F1 in 2010 and 2011, but it did not happen.
After Formula One
2007–2010 Racing
After F1, Villeneuve explored NASCAR. He also made his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut with Peugeot in 2007. He wanted to achieve the "Triple Crown of Motorsport" (winning the Monaco Grand Prix, Indianapolis 500, and Le Mans). His car retired from the race. He then raced in seven NASCAR Truck Series events. He also drove two NASCAR Cup Series races.
In 2008, Villeneuve's manager changed. He was released by his NASCAR team after failing to qualify for the Daytona 500. He then won the 2008 1000 km of Spa for Peugeot. This was his first race win in 11 years. He finished second in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. However, Peugeot released him a month later. He also raced in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Top Race V6 Argentina.
Villeneuve returned to the Speedcar Series in 2008–09. He finished in the top ten three times. In 2009, he raced in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. He finished fourth in one race. He also entered the Spa 24 Hours but did not finish. He made one appearance in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, finishing fourth.
In 2010, Villeneuve raced in three Nationwide Series road courses. He finished third in Montreal. He also entered the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. He finished 29th. He also raced in the V8 Supercar Championship in Australia. He finished fifth in one race.
2011–Present Racing
In 2011, Villeneuve drove two NASCAR Nationwide Series races for Penske Racing. He finished third at Road America. He got pole position in Montreal but finished 27th. He also raced in Stock Car Brasil. In 2012, he drove two more Nationwide Series races. He finished sixth at Road America and third in Montreal. He also filled in for an injured driver in the V8 Supercars Championship.
In 2013, Villeneuve was considered for a full-time V8 Supercars seat, but it did not happen. He raced in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Sonoma Raceway. He finished 41st due to mechanical problems. He also finished fifth in a Canadian Tire Series race.
In 2014, Villeneuve joined the FIA World Rallycross Championship. He raced a Peugeot 208 Supercar. He felt rallycross was exciting. He scored eight points in seven races. He left the team before the season ended. He also returned to the Indianapolis 500 for the first time in 19 years. He finished 14th.
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In 2015, Villeneuve raced in Stock Car Brasil again. He then joined Venturi Grand Prix in the all-electric Formula E series for the 2015–16 season. He admired Formula E's city tracks. He finished outside the top ten in his first two races. He crashed during qualifying for the third race. His relationship with Venturi ended in January 2016. In 2018, he returned to rallycross for one race.
In 2019, Villeneuve raced in the Italian GT Championship. He finished fourth and second in two races. He also made his debut in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. He finished eighth in points with two pole positions. In 2020, he continued in the Euro Series. In 2021, he achieved his first two wins in the series. He left the series after 2021 to focus on F1 commentary.
In 2022, Villeneuve returned to the NASCAR Cup Series for one race. He finished 22nd in the Daytona 500. In 2023, he entered the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship. He raced in the Hypercar category for three rounds. He was later replaced for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Other Activities and Personal Life
Villeneuve started writing music in Japan. He released his first French song, "Accepterais-tu," in 2006. He released an acoustic rock album called Private Paradise in 2007. The album had 13 songs. It did not sell many copies and received negative reviews.
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Villeneuve appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman twice. He had a small role in the 2001 film Driven. He carried the Olympic torch for the 2010 Winter Olympics torch relay in 2009. He also carried the Olympic flag at the opening ceremony. In 2010, he voiced a character in the French version of the Pixar film Cars 2. Since 2013, Villeneuve has worked as a commentator for Sky Sport in Italy and Canal+ in France. He also helped design a racing track in British Columbia, Canada.
Villeneuve has been married three times. His first marriage was to Johanna Martinez in 2006. They had two children and divorced in 2009. In 2012, he married Camila Andrea López Lillo. They have two children. In 2023, he married Giulia Marra. They have one son and two daughters.
Images for kids
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The car Villeneuve drove in the 1989 Italian Formula 3 Championship
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The Toyota TS010 car Villeneuve shared with Eddie Irvine and Tom Kristensen at Mine Circuit.
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Villeneuve's 1995 Indianapolis 500 winning car
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Villeneuve racing in the 1995 PPG IndyCar World Series at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
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Villeneuve driving for Williams at the 1996 Canadian Grand Prix
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Jacques Villeneuve racing the Williams FW19 car at the 1997 British Grand Prix.
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Villeneuve competing for British American Racing at the 2000 Belgian Grand Prix.
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Villeneuve driving his BAR 003 at the 2001 Spanish Grand Prix
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Villeneuve testing the BAR 004 car in 2002
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Villeneuve qualifying for Sauber at the 2005 United States Grand Prix.
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Villeneuve racing at the 2006 Canadian Grand Prix for the BMW Sauber
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Villeneuve driving the No. 7 Peugeot 908 HDi FAP at the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans
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Villeneuve attempting to qualify for the 2008 Daytona 500
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Villeneuve racing the No. 22 Dodge at the 2011 Bucyrus 200
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Villeneuve competing at the 2012 Coates Hire Ipswich 300
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Villeneuve during the 2013 Toyota/Save Mart 350
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Villeneuve driving a Peugeot 208 Supercar at the 2014 World RX of Great Britain
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Villeneuve during qualifying at the 2015 Punta del Este ePrix
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Villeneuve carrying the Olympic flag into BC Place during the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony.
See also
In Spanish: Jacques Villeneuve para niños
