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Villeneuve sees Williams exceeding his expectations`


By Andrew Hooper
January 4 2015

Former Williams driver and 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve has spoke of his surprise over the Williams Martini teams performance during the 2014 Formula One season, in particular he was impressed with team driver Valtteri Bottas.

 
 Villeneuve sees Williams exceeding his expectations
 
Jacques Villeneuve
 

Former Williams driver and 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve has spoke of his surprise over the Williams Martini teams performance during the 2014 Formula One season. In particular he was impressed with team driver Valtteri Bottas.

Previous comments had seen Villeneuve critical of the team in particular their string of poor results in the 2013 season. Villeneuve felt that the team had sunk to the level of having to take on drivers who paid for their seat, in respect of Maldonado and Bottas who both brought finances to the team. Villeneuve said: “When a team is reduced to hiring pay-drivers, it’s over.”

But after the 2014 season, where Bottas finished fourth and Felipe Massa, and the team finished third in the constructor’s championship, Villeneuve has changed his opinion of the team and Bottas.

Villeneuve added: “Bottas is a young driver, not really a pay-driver. Even with Felipe Massa they got some money from Brazil. But he is also a professional driver with a past, a career, and they (Williams) knew well how to use the money.”

Villeneuve said: “Williams does not have a big budget, yet they managed to turn the tide. But it is not completed yet.

“(2014) was the first season that they went well, so we will have to see if it continues the same way.”

Villeneuve, now 43, won seven races for Williams in the 1997 championship season. He admitted he did not expect his old team to be good “but not that good.”

As for how the Williams team performed in 2014 Villeneuve spoke of how he felt the team had exceeded his expectations.

“I expected them to be better (in 2014 than 2013), but they exceeded expectations,” Villeneuve said.

 

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Villeneuve sees Williams exceeding his expectations`
Discussion started by Williams F1 , 04/01/2015 14:22
Williams F1
04/01/2015 14:22
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