Villeneuve back in Formula 1? Seriously? How old is he anyway? 35… 36? No folks, Jacques Villeneuve is a grand old 38! And no, 38 isn’t old in general terms, but it is old for F1 drivers where the age of retirement, even for a great driver, is never much more than 37.  As it happens, Jacques is a mere month younger than the recently retired, and now BBC employed, David Coulthard.

The bespectacled former World Champion has been spotted lurking about the races quite a lot recently, and at Monaco he told Martin Brundle on the grid walk that he was thinking of returning to Formula 1. Obviously we thought he was joking, but apparently the Canadian is in talks with “several teams” about a race seat for 2010 now the breakaway series stuff has died down. He cites the reintroduction of slick tyres, the ban on refuelling, and reduction in electronically-controlled elements of the car as his motivation for rejoining F1. He also says that Formula 1 looks a bit “boring” these days and in fact “people want to see gladiators”. Though somehow it is hard to imagine Villeneuve in a toga and sandals, holding a pit-stop lollipop aloft, and gibbering something in Latin.

So was Villeneuve, despite a championship to his name, really ever any good anyway? Son of the great Gilles Villeneuve, he started in Formula 1 at Williams in 1996 alongside Damon Hill and managed the same number of rookie season wins as wonder-boy Lewis Hamilton did in 2007.  Not bad. In 1997 he battled with Michael Schumacher, who was disqualified from the entire 1997 season for attempting to crash Villeneuve out in the last race at Jerez and thereby win the drivers’ title for himself. Renault pulled out in 1998 and Williams were left with a terrible Mecachrome engine, which effectively dashed Villeneuve’s hopes of retaining his championship title. Is it me or is Villeneuve’s career trajectory sounding remarkably similar to that currently unfolding for Hamilton? Spooky stuff. He was at BAR until 2003, and was hopelessly outdone by current 2009 championship leader Jenson Button in his final season with the team. He was left without a seat for much of 2004, but managed 3 dismal races at Renault alongside Alonso. After promising to the team he would secure them 2^nd in the constructors ahead of former team BAR, he failed to score a single point and Renault finished up 3^rd. Villeneuve then spent two seasons with Sauber, being consistently outperformed by his team-mates Massa in 2005 and Heidfeld in 2006.

Villeneuve left Formula 1 in 2006 due to injury, for what we thought was for good, and was replaced at BMW by Kubica. So what has he been doing for the last 3 years? He’s had a pop at Le Mans, and NASCAR, as well as releasing his very first solo album entitled ‘Private Paradise’. We kid you not. Watch out Eddie Jordan!   Here at Badger we’ve had a listen, and the guy can actually sing. Though most of the album is in French, so we’re not entirely sure what the songs are about. Check out JV’s myspace page here to have a listen, and don’t forget to watch the somewhat hilarious video for his song Vaguement. Jacques is now married with two children, but was once engaged to X-Factor judge Dannii Minogue, and to an American ballerina.

The saying goes ‘quit while you’re ahead’. Villeneuve hasn’t been ahead since 1997. And that’s a long time.  To put it into perspective, 1997 was the year Tony Blair and ‘New Labour’ were elected to Government, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was first released, Hong Kong went back to Chinese rule, Diana died, and James Cameron’s ‘Titantic’ was released!  The Canadian driver’s heyday was clearly some time ago, and since his early promising seasons he has been repeatedly shown up by his less experienced and younger team-mates. Why on earth should 2010 beckon the resurgence of this aging champion? If Jacques comes back I’ll eat my hat.