May26 (GMM) Jacques Villeneuve’s quest for the ‘Triple Crown’ in motorsport is over.
After winning the Formula 1 and Indy 500 world championships, the French-Canadian was preparing to race in the top Hypercar category at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.
But former F1 team principal Colin Kolles has dropped the 52-year-old from the Vanwall squad, replacing him with 33-year-old Frenchman Tristan Vautier.
The official news announcement gave no reason for the decision – but Kolles was reportedly unhappy with the 1997 world champion’s pace and mistakes in recent outings.
“Two reasons explain our decision,” Kolles told France’s Auto Hebdo.
“First, due to various circumstances, there is not enough mileage on our car. Second, his wife is expecting a baby in a few days.
“That’s why we decided it would be better if he didn’t drive at Le Mans,” he added. “It’s a big race and we don’t want to take any risks.”
Villeneuve raced at Le Mans twice, finishing second overall with Peugeot in 2008.
