PODCAST: Jacques Villeneuve on pushing limits, his father’s influence & more

He may have grown up in the shadow of his late father – swashbuckling fan favourite Gilles – but over the course of 163 Grand Prix starts Jacques Villeneuve established himself as very much his own man. Non-conformist in the way he looked, the way he drove and the way he spoke, the Canadian always carved his own path – so it’s no surprise that he had some fascinating tales to tell when he sat down with Tom Clarkson for the latest episode of Beyond The Grid, presented by Bose…

Amongst the subjects discussed at length are Villeneuve’s relationship with speed and his approach to racing – traits he now sees he probably picked up from his dad.

“I don’t have that many memories with my Dad. All I know is that he wanted his son – me – to race,” he said.

“There was always a feeling that you had to push the limits and take the risks,” he added. “Not because it would allow you to go faster but just so you could do it while the others couldn’t. Show who was the bigger wolf in the pack. That I think I got from him while growing up...”

In a lively discussion, Villeneuve also muses on his run to the 1997 world title, his battles with Michael Schumacher and his relationships with team mates Damon Hill and Heinz-Harald Frentzen. His unconventional route to Grand Prix racing and the career opportunities he passed up along the way are also delved into, as are his flat-out opinions on the drivers he now proffers opinion on as an F1 pundit. You don’t want to miss this one!

You can listen to the full show in the audio player above. Alternatively you can listen and subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcast app.