Spain: Villeneuve Seeks More Success in Barcelona
By Jamie Makin
May 3 2005
Jacques Villeneuve got his season back on track by scoring his first points of the season with a sixth place finish in the San Marino Grand Prix. He will be hoping for a repeat performance in this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix.
The Circuit de Catalunya has been kind to Villeneuve in the past. He landed three podium finishes in eight starts including a win and pole position in the 1998 race. But the former World Champ will have to overcome difficulties with the setup on the C24 in order to have a competitive race this year.
"I had a difficult test recently in Barcelona, but we didn't have the new aero package then and as we showed at Imola, that really has made a big difference to the performance of the SAUBER PETRONAS C24. For sure it will also help us in Barcelona this weekend, but a lot will depend on how quickly we will be able find the right set-up," said Villeneuve.
Villeneuve was dismissed a day early from that difficult test, but the result was changes within the team's structure to better accommodate his needs. "I had more freedom to set the car up the way I like in Imola, and was really pleased with my race there, so I am hoping all of that will carry over in Spain," explained Villeneuve. "Scoring three points has helped a lot and has relieved some of the pressure from the first three races. After the way the car went in Imola, I can't wait to get to Barcelona."
Mentally, he is ready to take on the Barcelona circuit again as it is one he enjoys. "Barcelona has some long and fast corners so the cars have to be set-up very precisely. It is difficult to overtake on this track because the braking zones are quite short. Physically, it is demanding on the neck due to these fast corners and the high G-forces. However, there is always a good crowd there and it is a pleasant circuit to drive - you can really have fun if you can attack."
Jacques Villeneuve - Results for Spanish GP:
| YEAR | QUAL | RACE | COMMENTS |
| 2003 | 11 | DNF | Electrical |
| 2002 | 15 | 7 | - |
| 2001 | 7 | 3 | - |
| 2000 | 6 | DNF | Hydraulics |
| 1999 | 6 | DNF | Gearbox |
| 1998 | 10 | 6 | - |
| 1997 | 1 | 1 | - |
| 1996 | 2 | 3 | - |