Durango to be Villeneuve's partner for F1 team

[John S]

It would appear that Jacques has tied up with a team that has already entered the process for the 13th slot on the grid next year. What is not clear though is whether Villeneuve has been onboard from the start, or if Durango have brought him in now for financial reasons and the extra pulling power for sponsors of his name? 

The former Formula One world champion Jacques Villeneuve is linking up with Italy's Durango in a bid to return to Formula One next season, according to the team's owner, Ivone Pinton.

Pinton told the 422race.com website that Durango had joined forces with the 39-year-old Canadian, who last raced in Formula One in 2006, and Villeneuve Racing to seek an entry as the 13th team on the starting grid.

"I really hope together we will find a place," he said. "We still don't know where the car would be built, but the team's base will definitely be ours, in the Veneto [a region in the north-east of Italy]," added Pinton, who ran Villeneuve's car in the Dubai-based Speedcar series until it folded last year. "As well as being the driver, I'm sure he will make a useful contribution to the company. I think he's preparing a job to do after he hangs up his helmet."

Durango announced in April that they would seek the 13th slot, although that was met with some scepticism due to the outfit dropping out of the GP2 support series last year due to financial problems.

The governing body the FIA is expected to decide later this month whether any of the applicants has what it takes to participate. Several big names in motorsport, such as Prodrive, Lola and GP2 frontrunners ART, have already ruled out a bid for financial reasons.

guardian.co.uk, Today