F1 champion Villeneuve’s racing return ends in lap 1 crash chaos in Barcelona
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Samson Ero is a Formula 1 editor at GPblog with seven years’ experience in sports media. He covers key paddock developments, offering analysis on drivers, teams, and performance trends, with work featured on leading platforms.
Jacques Villeneuve’s return to racing came to an abrupt end after a crash on the opening lap of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
The 1997 Formula 1 World Champion, who had qualified 23rd on his debut in the series, was caught up in a chain-reaction incident heading into Turn 10 on lap one. The 55-year-old, driving a Porsche 911 Cup car, lost his front-right wheel in the collision, which also ended the races of British driver Liam McNeilly and Luciano Fernandez, among others.
Villeneuve had entered the event as a special guest and VIP driver, competing in a specially prepared Porsche 911 featuring his iconic helmet design and the number 911. It remains to be seen whether he will return to action when the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup heads to Austria for its next round.
Jacques Villeneuve - Photo: Race Pictures
Villeneuve explains Russell’s superiority in Barcelona
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Earlier, Villeneuve detailed why the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya suits George Russell better than Kimi Antonelli, after the British driver set the quickest lap time of the weekend during final practice.
“He will be happy, but I think he knew coming here that this track would suit his driving style a little bit better than his teammate,” the Canadian said of Russell after the conclusion of final practice at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix on Sky Sports. The Briton was the quickest, finishing ahead of second-placed Oscar Piastri by more than two tenths.
Villeneuve continued: “So he’s taking advantage of it and pushing. But the track is slippery, and if you don’t have the perfect set-up, you can’t drive around it. It’s very difficult, and you need to be precise.”
According to the 1997 World Champion, Antonelli’s style suits other circuits. He explained: “Antonelli’s driving style suits stop-and-go tracks. He goes very deep into the corner, turns in early, pivots the car early, and gets on the throttle; the electric part of the engine pulls him out, and he runs a super-soft rear end. That normally means a lot of understeer, and that doesn’t work on this track.
“This track is very understeery, but, at the same time, the rear snaps. Russell has a smoother driving style, and it works here,” he concluded.
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