16/06/2005
NEWS STORY
Taking time out from his (seemingly) on-going dispute with Sauber, Jacques Villeneuve has launched an attack on former employers - and the team which he helped create - BAR.
In an interview with the Indy Star, the 1997 World Champion, gave his opinion on the Brackley team, and its current predicament - it has yet to score a World Championship point this season and was excluded from three races, for contravening the rules.
"After last season, they became big-headed and arrogant again," said the Canadian. "Suddenly, they're back where they were when they started.
"If you've never been at the top, it's not a problem," he added. "But once you get a glimpse of what you can get when you reach the summit, then it's hard."
As for David Richards - dumped by BAR at the end of 2004 - and the man many beleive responsible for driving Villeneuve out of BAR - the Canadian didn't pull any punches.
"He does that to anyone who he believes is bigger than him. He has a big ego problem. He was on a mission to destroy me, and I don't know why. He kept saying my salary was draining the budget, but it never came from there. If that changed, it wasn't my concern because I didn't force them into that contract. At the end of the day, he got removed when people found out what he was doing."
Asked if he felt he was a victim of a Richards smear campaign, Villeneuve replied: "Yeah. The media gets wined and dined, then starts believing whatever's said. And there's nothing you can do about it."