Brakes on, Jenson.

By pitpass.com
March 14 2003

Tension in the Lucky Strike BAR Honda pit is not unusual. Since its inception in 1999, BAR have courted controversy on many occasions, from the dual livery displayed at the teams launch, right through to *that* pit stop in Melbourne. I had wondered who would be the first to apply the Criminal Formula One mindset to the new rules. Criminal Formula One Mindset is not my phrase, I wish it was, I first heard it from John Judd, the distinguished engine designer. You could have knocked me over with a wet haddock when it turned out to be Paul Stoddart. I have to say that his aborting the Saturday qualifying runs so his cars did not have to go into the parc fermè was utterly brilliant.

Bringing Kimi in after the parade lap and have him start from the pitlane on a full load and the right tyres was a brilliant piece of strategic thinking on the part of McLaren. In fact, I cannot recall a more brilliant stroke in recent Formula One, and it so nearly came off. And didn't Kimi's defence of his place when Michael tried to take it from him speak of a very mature driver indeed?

At Melbourne we saw another inspired piece of chicanery, or was it? Jenson Button clearly had the speed of Jacques Villeneuve, a man who becomes a millionaire every month. Did Jacques make a simple error, cause by a breakdown in pit-to-car radio, by coming into the pits when BAR was ready to receive Button.

I own six radios including the one in the Baby Bentley (the Golf GTI). Modern radios do not go wrong except pit-to-car radios when a driver does not want to hear something. Villeneuve screwed Button's race.

It may have been a mistake, or a breakdown in communication. Earlier this week it was reported that someone within Williams claims that Jacques pulled a similar trick on Heinz-Harald a couple of times when they were team-mates. This does not, of course, prove that JV did not have a breakdown of communication in Australia.

Jacques came into Formula One as a breath of fresh air. In his first Grand Prix, he set pole and led most of the way. Do you realise he is the first driver who wears glasses to have won a Grand Prix? And I mean since 1906. Then came the BAR thing.

I do not know what goes on in JV's head. I do know that I cannot think of any leading driver in history whose behaviour has been so weird. The guy had his path smoothed in motor racing because of the widespread respect in which his father, Gilles, was held. He would not have got where he is if he name had been Jack Newtown, yet nobody who interviews him may even refer to his father.

Do we speak here of someone who is marching to a different drum, or what?

Jacques has been quick to say that he has 'respect' for former colleague, Olivier Panis, but that Jenson Button must earn his 'respect'.

'Respect' is a word used by villains and characters in TV soaps. You don't hear scientists say of Einstein, "I respect that dude, give me a high five." The use of 'respect' marks the person who uses it as a bottom-feeder.

Jacques may be trying to play mind games with Jenson, but it will be counter-productive. Button has clearly got a strong head on his shoulders otherwise he would not have been signed by Williams. Villeneuve did not begin the year as the most popular person in BAR on the grounds that his contract makes him a millionaire every month, yet the money could be better spent in other ways.

I doubt whether Jacques will be able to get another drive in 2004, unless he is prepared to take a massive cut in salary. According to reports, Schumacher Major has been invited by Ferrari to down-size his annual income, to settle for $30 million instead of $40 million. Economic reality has hit Formula One and everyone seems to understand that except for Jacques.

There has been talk of Jacques going to Ferrari, but Ferrari would be daft to take him. There has been the odd occasion since he left Williams when he has driven his heart out, but there have also been times when he has looked less than sensational.

Maybe there was a genuine problem with the pit-to-car radio, but Jacques' general behaviour makes one disinclined to give him the benefit of any doubt. I think at Melbourne we saw the effective end of a career which had the potential to have been glorious.

This article was written by Mike Lawrence for pitpass.com, and is used with permission.