By Phil Huff (23/05/2003)
May 23 2003

Since 1999 there's been talk that Jacques Villeneuve's salary is too high, and was negotiated by the then team manager Craig Pollock. Pollock is also, of course, Jacques Villeneuve's manager. Conflict of interests? Not at all. Speaking to well respected subscription site Atlas F1, Craig Pollock was asked up front who pays Villeneuve's salary. "Ok, Villeneuve's salary is paid by British American Racing," replied Pollock, "but his salary is part of a deal that has been worked out with BAT."

It's widely believed that Villeneuve's salary, estimated at $14 million, doesn't come directly from BAR's budget, but is actually paid by BAT themselves. Pollock confirms this, saying "BAT had to OK [Villeneuve's deal] and sign it. So it was never part of the original sponsorship budget, and in reality the budget was increased to accommodate Jacques from an outside sponsor."

And who negotiated the deal? Certainly not Pollock, despite the common belief that it was him. "Jacques's last deal - which was a three-year deal - was negotiated when I was a team principal," says Pollock, "although it was not negotiated by myself. The deal was negotiated between the chief operating officer of British American Racing, Ian Ross, and Jacques's lawyers in Monaco."

That clears that up, then.