Villeneuve off to BAR

   Copyright c 1998 Nando Media
   Copyright c 1998 Agence France-Presse

PARIS (Jul 21, 1998 - 12:46 EDT) - British American Racing (BAR), the new
owners of the Tyrrell racing team, have succeeded in their quest to land
Formula One world champion Jacques Villeneuve to drive for them in their
debut 1999 season, sources close to the team said on Tuesday.

Villeneuve's future at Williams had been the subject of much speculation
since BAR's creation at the end of last year, given his longstanding close
friendship with BAR managing director Craig Pollock.

With money no object for Pollock, backed by the financial muscle of giant
tobacco conglomerate BAT, the way seems clear for the 26-year-old
Canadian's move to be unveiled either Wednesday or Thursday at a press
conference at the Zeltweg circuit, hosting this week's Austrian Grand Prix.

Villeneuve's contract with the champion Williams team expires at the end of
this year when he will be free to leave if he wishes.

"If Jacques drives for me it would be a dream because we are so tight
together," Pollock said recently.

"As soon as I am sure of our material and what we can offer him, I
will try to convince Jacques," he added.

News of Villeneuve's imminent switch comes hot on the heels of double world
champion Michael Schumacher extending his contract with Ferrari through to
2002 for upwards of 30 million dollars a year.

"Any experienced driver, particularly the world champion, would take
an enormous risk coming to us," Pollock admitted earlier this month as
he reflected on his strategy for next season.

"But I can look Villeneuve or Damon Hill in the eye and tell them we
can make them an interesting offer," he insisted.

Villeneuve is on record as saying that in his view the "atmosphere in
the team" is one of the most important factors in his choice of
stable.

And at BAR, he knows he would be among close acquaintances.

As well as Pollock he already has close links with BAR chassis designer
Adrian Reynard. And he fears that Williams might use the 1999 season as an
opportunity to take a breather in order to prepare their 2000 link-up with
BMW.

At the British Grand Prix in Silverstone, Williams' technical director
Patrick Head is understood to have asked Villeneuve to make his mind up on
his future before determining who else to bring in.

The smart money is already on Alessandro Zanardi, who has dominated Indycar
for the past two seasons.

Rumours that former world champion Damon Hill might move in alongside
Villeneuve at BAR received the brush off from Formula One insiders on
Tuesday.

With Schumacher seemingly committed for now to Ferrari and Villeneuve
seemingly about to head for pastures new, all eyes are turning towards next
season, when the current one is barely half way through.

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