By pitpass.com (13/06/2003)
June 13 2003

Lucky Strike BAR Honda star Jacques Villeneuve has revealed the reason for his bitter attack on Jenson Button following the English youngster's recruitment to the Brackley outfit. Talking in Canada yesterday, the 1997 world Champion revealed that at the root of the 'war of words' that heralded Button's arrival at the team, was the outfit's attitude and had nothing to do with the former WilliamsF1 and Renault driver.

"It was more the way the team had handled things," he told reporters yesterday according to British tabloid The Sun, "which I thought was a little bit wrong.

"What created the problem was the perception the team were giving," he continued, "pushing him up and pushing me down after I had worked my butt off for years.

"I was very happy with Jenson being here," added the Canadian. "I was just very unhappy with it being said 'He's the future world champion and basically I'm a w*****'.

"If there is going to be a future world champion here, it's going to be me," said the former champ defiantly. "I'd be really unhappy if it was someone else," he continued, "that's one of the reasons why I stayed with the team.

"I feel rows are good," he said of the 'war of words'. "We're competing and, even if the guy is your best friend, you will walk over him to win. It's just the way it is."

Editor's note: For readers outside the UK, when Jacques says 'w*****' he is referring to what in London is commonly regarded to as a 'merchant banker' or even a 'J Arthur' as in J Arthur Rank, founder of the film company.

This article was written by pitpass.com and is used with permission.