Post by Henrik on Aug 5, 2002 10:29:20 GMT -5
Here is an interesting piece I picked up on another site. I really can't say if there is anything to this rumour, but it sure as hell would be an interesting one. I'll be on the lookout for more stuff:
After nearly a full calendar year of mostly bad news, CART could be on the verge of a shocking resurrection, a turn-around of such near complete proportions that we could see the series soaring back to the heights it last saw in the mid 90’s. This panacea is the rumored return of 1995 CART champion and 1997 F-1 champion Jacques Villeneuve to the CART FedEx Championship Series.
What initially seemed like a far-fetched rumor only a few weeks ago has suddenly taken on a momentum that gives one the sense of impending completion. None of the parties involved, Villeneuve, Players Forsythe Racing or British American Tobacco has denied the rumors. Obviously, that alone does not make the rumor true, or even likely, but it makes a great deal of sense in number of ways for all parties involved.
BAR, Villeneuve’s current F-1 team, is struggling mightily and stuck firmly in the middle of the grid. Although contracted for 2003 to the tune of $20 million, BAR does not feel they can make the car competitive by next season and is seeking a way out from Villeneuve’s iron-clad contract. The team feels the $20 million could be better used on development in the hopes of producing a car worthy of Villeneuve’s talents for 2004. Selling his contract to Players or arranging a loan to the CART team could offer substantial financial relief for a team in desperate need of it.
It makes a great deal of sense for Villeneuve as well. With all the top F-1 drives gone for 2003, Villeneuve is facing another bleak season in mid-pack no matter where he ends up. Most observers on the F-1 grid realize that Villeneuve is the only driver capable of challenging Michael Schumacher, but simply have no room for him next year. 2004 is a completely different story, however. With Schumacher set to claim his record sixth championship in 2003, he will have broken virtually every record and will likely head off into retirement. The empty seat at Ferrari would be nicely filled by Villeneuve or Juan Montoya. In either case, there will be seats clear at both Ferrari and Williams, meaning Jacques can step back into F-1 with a top flight car after a year of winning races in CART, rather than toiling in the back in F-1. No doubt this scenario appeals to him.
For Players, the investment is a no-brainer. Teaming Villeneuve with Paul Tracy, whom the team reportedly already has a signed option on, would make Players an instant super team, certainly on a par with the Penske or Williams teams, in terms of depth of driver talent. It would also take the sting out of the rumored loss of Team Green to the IRL in 2003.
In fact, what has always separated CART from the Indy Racing League is not just the depth and quality of its teams – which are vastly superior – but the depth and quality of its world-class drivers. In facing the potential loss of Team Green (now Green/Andretti racing), the real loss would be in the marketability of the teams two star drivers, Dario Franchitti and Paul Tracy. With Tracy staying in CART at Players, this opens up a likely scenario that will see Franchitti jump to the Newman/Hass team, replacing Christiano DaMatta. The two Kool sponsored seats at Andretti might well end up in the IRL, but without Franchitti and Tracy to run them, the effect is negligible. The only real loss in this case would be Andretti, who would prefer to run CART but is having a hard time securing sponsorship. Since Andretti is likely to cut back to only running Indy this year anyway, his loss will not be felt much, if at all, in the CART paddock.
What initially seemed like a far-fetched rumor only a few weeks ago has suddenly taken on a momentum that gives one the sense of impending completion. None of the parties involved, Villeneuve, Players Forsythe Racing or British American Tobacco has denied the rumors. Obviously, that alone does not make the rumor true, or even likely, but it makes a great deal of sense in number of ways for all parties involved.
BAR, Villeneuve’s current F-1 team, is struggling mightily and stuck firmly in the middle of the grid. Although contracted for 2003 to the tune of $20 million, BAR does not feel they can make the car competitive by next season and is seeking a way out from Villeneuve’s iron-clad contract. The team feels the $20 million could be better used on development in the hopes of producing a car worthy of Villeneuve’s talents for 2004. Selling his contract to Players or arranging a loan to the CART team could offer substantial financial relief for a team in desperate need of it.
It makes a great deal of sense for Villeneuve as well. With all the top F-1 drives gone for 2003, Villeneuve is facing another bleak season in mid-pack no matter where he ends up. Most observers on the F-1 grid realize that Villeneuve is the only driver capable of challenging Michael Schumacher, but simply have no room for him next year. 2004 is a completely different story, however. With Schumacher set to claim his record sixth championship in 2003, he will have broken virtually every record and will likely head off into retirement. The empty seat at Ferrari would be nicely filled by Villeneuve or Juan Montoya. In either case, there will be seats clear at both Ferrari and Williams, meaning Jacques can step back into F-1 with a top flight car after a year of winning races in CART, rather than toiling in the back in F-1. No doubt this scenario appeals to him.
For Players, the investment is a no-brainer. Teaming Villeneuve with Paul Tracy, whom the team reportedly already has a signed option on, would make Players an instant super team, certainly on a par with the Penske or Williams teams, in terms of depth of driver talent. It would also take the sting out of the rumored loss of Team Green to the IRL in 2003.
In fact, what has always separated CART from the Indy Racing League is not just the depth and quality of its teams – which are vastly superior – but the depth and quality of its world-class drivers. In facing the potential loss of Team Green (now Green/Andretti racing), the real loss would be in the marketability of the teams two star drivers, Dario Franchitti and Paul Tracy. With Tracy staying in CART at Players, this opens up a likely scenario that will see Franchitti jump to the Newman/Hass team, replacing Christiano DaMatta. The two Kool sponsored seats at Andretti might well end up in the IRL, but without Franchitti and Tracy to run them, the effect is negligible. The only real loss in this case would be Andretti, who would prefer to run CART but is having a hard time securing sponsorship. Since Andretti is likely to cut back to only running Indy this year anyway, his loss will not be felt much, if at all, in the CART paddock.
Don't Die Before You Live...
