http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=577&e=3&u=/nm/20031126/sp_nm/motorracing_villeneuve_dc

His rep seems pretty tarnished. I love the guy though, I've loved him since he was driving the Players car in CART, but I don't think he'll really ever get a shot for a top tier team....

At this point there are a lot of good drivers who will drive for a lot less $$ than what he'll demand. I just don't see it happening. He'll be pounding beer and reflecting with Eddie Irvine pretty soon.

Jacques is probably swigging Molson's right now.

He was once a great driver. Now he's too washed up to go back- although he may still have more in him.

I'm not sure you can stick the "washed up" label on Jacques just yet. He is still one of the best drivers in F1, even though, at 32, he's getting up there in age.

To get back into F1, he's going to have to swallow his pride and do the following:

- Demand less money. He won his World Championship in 1997, so he cannot expect to be paid as much as more recent race-winners.

- Stop being such a spoiled brat when it comes to sponsor committments. This is the major reason Ron Dennis did not want to work with Jacques. He has a major aversion to the usual "meet and greet" events that sponsors demand. Drivers like Montoya are able to do these and still remain focused on winning races.

- Be more willing to work with a team. His major downfall at BAR, I think, was that he thought of himself as so central to the team's success that he thought he was above such duties as tire testing. He has to get over this and remember that only hard work and sacrifice will win him more races.

Having said all this, do I think he'll actually do it? Unfortunately the answer is no. He is a ridiculously stubborn person, the type that thinks there is only his way to do things and no other. His downfall, I think, and the unfortunate summation of his once-promising career, is that he was just too hard headed for his own good. Because of this, sadly, I think we've seen the last of the Villeneuve name in Formula One.

I actually agree. He's a French Canadian, not going to concede to anyone, and his days in the sport are over since he is unwilling to drive unless he has, as he said "a top car".

I bet you'll see a factory sportscar team run him once at Le Mans either this year, or next. You can consider him gone from anything else openwheel though.

You're probably right TomM. He did say that he wouldn't mind running at LeMans and ALMS. That'll be interesting.