Villeneuve fired by BAR!

It has been confirmed this morning in Montreal that BAR team management has fired Jacques Villeneuve from the team. Craig Pollock, Jacques' manager and personal friend who was contacted in Switzerland could not confirm if Jacques was going to be in the BAR car next week for the last GP of 2003 in Japan.

The war of words and ideology is finally over between Pollock and Richards and Jacques is the one to loose in the matter. Over the past week some rumors are sending Jacques back to BMW/Williams, the team he won the 1997 FIA championship with.

The confirmation of the news of Jacques leaving BAR comes as the last efforts are made to try to save the Canadian GP.

Villeneuve's manager, Craig Pollock - the former BAR team principal and still shareholder in the outfit - said that current BAR team chief David Richards told him Villeneuve had been dropped in a telephone conversation on Friday evening.

"We received a call from David Richards, on Friday evening informing us of their decision," said Pollock.

"What is so disappointing is the fact that this team was built for and around Jacques, and he underwent all sorts of trials and tribulations over the years as BAR struggled to find its place in Formula One."

"Jacques never wavered, and his loyalty to British American Racing was constant. He had other opportunities, and no one would have blamed him for going elsewhere, but he preferred to see this project through despite a car that did not live up to its expectations."

This news comes as a huge blow of many of Jacques Fans (that is including me) and the all F1 supporters from Canada, whose support to the sport might be fading after 25 years of strong support.

We all remember that 2003 was the 25th anniversary of the first Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal and Gilles' first victory with Ferrari on the track that now bears the name of famous Gilles Villeneuve, Jacques father.