Jacques Villeneuve to World Rallycross with Albatec Racing

Former Formula One World Champion Jacques Villeneuve will contest the FIA World Rallycross Championship this season, at the wheel of an Albatec Racing run Supercar.

Villeneuve will partner British driver Andy Scott in a pair of Peugeot 208’s to fight for the new-for-2014 teams championship. The French-Canadian recently tested for the team at Dreux, France.

“I am really looking forward to entering the rallycross arena with Albatec Racing,” said Villeneuve. “We had a very successful test in France, I was very impressed with the quality of the team, particularly on the engineering side, it reminded me of my time in F1. The car is just so responsive, the power is amazing, and with 600bhp to play with, who wouldn’t be excited by that.”

Villeneuve won the F1 crown in 1997, two years after collecting top honours in the 1995 IndyCar World Series and Indianapolis 500. He remains the only active racing driver to have won all three titles. Since leaving F1, he has raced in NASCAR, the Le Mans 24 Hours and most recently the Andros Trophy ice-racing series.

“With my previous ice-racing experience, I’m excited about driving sideways in a 600bhp, four-wheel-drive car over the combination of loose and tarmac surfaces. With the added incentive of it being an FIA World Championship, the opportunity was really too good to miss. I’m a racer and of course I want to win, but there are lots of unknowns going into a new championship, and with a new car. I certainly hope to win races, but I appreciate there are a lot of things I don’t know, so 2014 will be a learning year.”, said Villeneuve, who will race in front of his home fans when the series visits the Trois-Rivieres Circuit in Canada (7 – 8 August).

Albatec Racing was formed at the start of 2013, the new era for rallycross. The team ran British WRC star Kris Meeke last season at Loheac, France, setting fastest times. Andy Scott will contest his second full season in his team’s Peugeot 208 as they fight for the Team Championship title;

“I am delighted to welcome Jacques to the team,” said team principle Scott. “He brings with him a wealth of experience and an outstanding pedigree across all disciplines. He is renowned for his technical excellence and ability to drive any car to its limit. Rallycross itself is moving into a very exciting phase, and the new FIA World Rallycross Championship offers a fantastic commercial opportunity for the team.”

Martin Anayi, Managing Director of the FIA World Rallycross Championship is excited to have Villeneuve in the series, competing against World Champions from other disciplines like 2003 World Rally Champion Petter Solberg alongside existing rallycross stars;

“The news that Jacques Villeneuve is joining the FIA World Rallycross Championship for its inaugural season is a tremendous coup,” said Anayi. “It is massively exciting for everybody involved in the championship. It will be great to see World Champions from different disciplines battling it out in FIA World RX. His on-track achievements and off-track personality have earned him cult status all around the world. We have no doubt that he will thoroughly enjoy his new rallycross challenge, and that fans all around the globe will revel in watching his spectacular style.”

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