JV, driving? Really?
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itv-f1 is saying he is having a seat fitting today.
www.itv-f1.com said:
Notwithstanding Renault’s denials, speculation is mounting that Jarno Trulli will be dropped from the Anglo-French team for the last three races of the season in favour of 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, who was the last Renault-powered driver to claim the title.
The relationship between Trulli and Renault has been on the rocks since negotiations over a contract renewal broke down and the Italian put himself on the driver market for 2005.
Trulli’s subsequent slump in form – he hasn’t scored a point since the French GP more than two months ago – has led to mutual recriminations, with Trulli claiming he is receiving inferior treatment to team-mate Fernando Alonso and team boss Flavio Briatore countering that the problem is Trulli’s inconsistent motivation.
Following another lacklustre showing in last weekend’s Italian GP, Briatore once again publicly criticised his departing driver, observing that “he was very quick at the end of the race and we do not understand why he did not have the same speed at the start.”
All this fuelled rumours yesterday that Trulli will be replaced before the Chinese GP in two weeks’ time, with Villeneuve, Renault test driver Franck Montagny and former tester Allan McNish being mentioned as possible replacements.
A Renault spokesman dismissed the speculation as run-of-the-mill silly-season gossip, but it may be a case of no smoke without fire.
Reports from Silverstone, where testing has got underway this morning, suggest that Villeneuve is visiting the team’s Enstone factory for a seat fitting today and may be behind the wheel by tomorrow morning.
The French-Canadian is taking an enforced sabbatical this year but has made no secret of his desire to return to F1, and could use three cameo performances in a Renault to bolster his chances of a Sauber or BAR seat for 2005.
If Renault are planning to oust Trulli, Villeneuve’s proven track record, high profile and lack of other commitments make him a logical replacement.
This week’s three-day test at Silverstone is the last opportunity for teams to carry out set-up and development work before the long-haul races in China, Japan and Brazil. Alonso has been shaking down his R24 at the Northamptonshire track this morning, but Trulli is not in attendance.
This may mean no more than that the Toyota-bound Italian is being phased out of Renault’s development programme, with new F1 parts being closely guarded secrets.
But – given that the team’s 2005 driver line-up is already set in stone – if Villeneuve does drive the car this week the only possible conclusion will be that a putsch is in the works.
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