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British American Racing come under further intense pressure this evening after their number one driver, Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, has admitted he will decide whether or not to stay with BAR after trialling the car in its first test session of 2002. Villeneuve is reportedly expectionally unhappy after close friend and mentor Craig Pollock left the team from the role as team principal just one day before the launch of the BAR004 earlier this month.
David Richards has joined the team in place of Pollock, but Villeneuve could take a year's break or even switch to a different team if recent reports are to be believed. Today's announcement by Villeneuve indicates he will make his decision shortly, but it seems a contractual disagreement could see him leave the team. He said: "I have a contract, but Craig was a big part in me staying at the team when the contract was re-signed.
"So now we'll have to see how the atmosphere in the team is before the season, and how the car is. If it's a winning car, then that would be a positive thing. But what matters is what I feel when I sit in it.
"But if you don't want to be somewhere, then there are other teams you can try to go to. Of course, after a few years with bad results it becomes more difficult to find a welcoming house."
Ironically, if Villeneuve should quit the team it will be following his most successful season with BAR since joining back in 1999. This year he acheived two podium finishes but often found himself in the midfield come the end of qualifying hampering any chances of a good result come the race.
source : F1newswire
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