The challenge has been launched. At 50 years of age, after having won Indy500, IndyCar championship, Formula 1 World Championship and in 2009 having also come close to success at the 24 Hours of Le MansJacques Villeneuve is ready to go hunting for the Daytona 500. The Florida race, nicknamed by the Americans The Great American Race, is the opening round of the NASCAR championship, but above all it represents one of the most important events of the year in the world of motorsport. The Canadian had already tried to take part in it in 2008 but was unable to overcome the obstacle of qualifying. The former Williams standard bearer, who will compete with the number 27 so dear to his father Gilles, he will have to overcome the same obstacle again this year.
Villeneuve will in fact take part in the event with a team not automatically qualified for the Daytona 500 and will have to fight against five other drivers to snatch a place in the race, scheduled for Sunday 20 February at 20.30 Italian time. Access can be achieved by scoring one of the two best times in qualifying among the ‘unchartered’ drivers or through the two ‘qualifying races’ that will take place on the night between Thursday and Friday. The Canadian, who will drive for Team Hezeberg, with whom he had already played several seasons of the NASCAR Euro Series, is aware that he will also play a slice of his next week. reputation.
“If you don’t qualify for Daytona having won F1 and Indy 500, I imagine it might be a little tough – the person directly interested in the site confessed AP – if you fail to take part in the Sunday race you will just damage yourself. You basically damage your reputation. You can ruin the 30 years of hard work you put into your career. So there is always a big risk in this aspect. But I love racing. I am passionate. I’m alive when I’m behind a wheel and the bigger the race, the better “he concluded.
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