Jacques Villeneuve Goes Fast

03/08/96

The Associated Press reported that former IndyCar driver Jacques Villeneuve is making a splash in his first season in a formula one car. Villeneuve is practicing on the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne, Australia for the Australian Grand Prix, the first race of the Formula One World Championship series, which is to run this weekend.

Last year the Canadian Villeneuve was IndyCar series champ. This season he joined Formula One's favored racer Damon Hill on the Williams-Renault team. Villeneuve has repeatedly said that he will race to beat even his teammate Hill, and so far he has been doing that--at least in practice. Villeneuve averaged the fastest lap in practice for the Australian Grand Prix so far at 126.985 mph. His time for the lap on the 3.274 mile circuit was 1:34.392.

Other practice times at Albert Park have been as follows: Damon Hill for Williams-Renault at 1:34.392, Jean Alesi for Benetton-Renault at 1:34.664, Michael Schumacher for Ferrari at 1:35.018, and Jos Verstappen for Footwork-Hart at 1:35.057.

Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel