page_title: Jacques Villeneuve
section_title: Williams
hierarchical_section_title: Jacques Villeneuve / Racing career / Formula One / Williams
caption_attribution_description: English: Jacques Villeneuve, Canadian Grand Prix, Montreal, 1996
context_page_description: Jacques Joseph Charles Villeneuve OQ is a Canadian professional auto racing driver and amateur musician. Villeneuve currently competes in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, driving the #5 car for FEED Vict Racing in the EuroNASCAR PRO class. He is the son of Formula One driver Gilles Villeneuve, and is the namesake of his uncle, who was also a racer. Villeneuve won the 1995 CART Championship, the 1995 Indianapolis 500 and the 1997 Formula One World Championship, making him only the third driver after Mario Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi to achieve such a feat. As of 2019, no other Canadian has won the Indianapolis 500 or the Formula One Drivers' title.
  Following two successful years in CART, Villeneuve moved into Formula One with the front-running Williams team, alongside Damon Hill. In his debut season, Villeneuve challenged teammate Hill for the title, winning four races and taking the fight to the final round in Japan, where Villeneuve retired and Hill won the race and the title.
context_section_description: 1996
  Villeneuve signed a two-year contract with Williams with an option year available. Villeneuve impressed during his debut race in Australia, taking pole position and almost won the race. But due to an oil leak, Villeneuve was forced to slow down and allow teammate Damon Hill to pass and take victory at the opening round of the Championship. The Canadian, however, did manage to hold onto second place. It would be another 11 years before another driver finished on the podium on his debut, which was Lewis Hamilton at the 2007 Australian Grand Prix.
  Four rounds into the season, Villeneuve won his first Formula One race at the Nürburgring. Villeneuve won a further three races and managed to take the title fight to the final round at Suzuka. The Canadian and teammate Damon Hill were the only drivers who could win the title, but with a gap of nine points between the two prior to the final race, his chances of winning the title were slim. In the end, Hill won the race, and the championship, while Villeneuve retired on lap 37 after his right-rear wheel came off.
  Having won 4 races in his debut season, Villeneuve took the record for most wins for a rookie. He also became the only rookie in Formula One history to finish second in the championship. Both records were later equaled by Lewis Hamilton in 2007.
  1997
  Damon Hill was dropped by Williams for the 1997 season, making Villeneuve the team's lead driver. Heinz-Harald Frentzen was brought in to replace Hill. Villeneuve once again challenged for the title, but instead of Hill, the Canadian found himself battling with then double World Champion Michael Schumacher.
  David Coulthard took the opening race win in Australia but Villeneuve took the next two wins in Brazil and Argentina. Five more victories came that season at the Spanish, British, Hungarian, Austrian and Luxembourg Grand Prix, as well as ten pole positions. His main rival, Michael Schumacher, had five wins of his own to set up a showdown at the final race of the season.
  In Suzuka, the penultimate race of the season, Villeneuve started on pole but was relegated to the back of the grid after ignoring yellow flags during Saturday practice. An appeal by Williams saw his position reinstated. Villeneuve finished 5th but was disqualified from the race leaving Schumacher leading the Drivers' Championship by one point.
  The title went down to the final round in Jerez. Villeneuve came out as the Drivers World Champion in only his second season. But the race was remembered for a highly controversial collision between himself and title rival Michael Schumacher. As Villeneuve passed Schumacher at the Dry Sac corner on the 48th lap, the German turned into the Canadian's car; leaving Villeneuve with a damaged sidepod. Villeneuve recovered however and took third place while Schumacher retired. The FIA deemed Schumachers actions deliberate and thus disqualified him from the Championship.
  1998
  Villeneuve's career went into sharp decline following his World Championship title. Remaining with Williams in 1998 (and becoming the first Williams driver since Keke Rosberg in 1982 to stay with the team for his title defense), he struggled with an underpowered Mecachrome engine which were basically rebadged Renault V10 engines from the previous season that despite some development had been overtaken in power by both Ferrari and the Mercedes-Benz powered McLarens. He failed to win a single race (like Hill the previous season), although he did finish on the podium twice in Germany and Hungary. Villeneuve finished fifth in the Drivers' Championship with 21 points, 79 points behind Champion Mika Häkkinen in the McLaren-Mercedes.
caption: Villeneuve driving for the Williams Formula One team at the 1996 Canadian Grand Prix.
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