Villeneuve, spokeswoman, silent on F1 team reports

Jacques Villeneuve and his spokeswoman have declined to confirm reports the 1997 world champion is bidding to return to F1 next year with his own team.

German reports said ‘Villeneuve Racing’, possibly involving Flavio Briatore, Pat Symonds and former Arrows and Super Aguri staff, is one of three remaining candidates to fill the final spot in the 2011 pitlane.

But French Canadian Villeneuve’s spokeswoman would only tell the French language Canoe publication that the 39-year-old is “focusing his efforts on a return to NASCAR while also working on a return to F1”.

And the French language source RDS said Villeneuve is not commenting on the Auto Motor und Sport report.

Meanwhile, the Canadian publication Rue Frontenac insists that crashgate conspirators Briatore and Symonds are not involved in the Villeneuve project.

Instead, the report said the winner of 11 grands prix is supported by the former GP2 team Durango for a potentially Italian-based F1 team.

Rue Frontenac, who said Villeneuve was not contactable on Thursday, also reported that he is set to return to NASCAR’s premier Sprint Cup series next weekend at Indianapolis.

© RIF | GMM