FORMULA 1/Hungarian Grand Prix: Jacques Villeneuve has denied reports that he is to quit Formula One at the end of this season and move to the American ChampCar series.
The 1997 world champion, who is nearing the end of a fourth unproductive year with British American Racing, was the subject of the bulk of speculation during Formula One's annual three-week break which ended with the teams' arrival in Budapest yesterday to begin preparations for this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.
Villeneuve has less than enjoyed a fraught relationship with BAR boss David Richards since the former Benetton boss and world rally championship chief was brought in to BAR in place of Villeneuve's mentor, Craig Pollock, at the start of this season.
Villeneuve, who spent the sojourn holidaying in Croatia, was yesterday nonplussed at questions concerning his prospective move and claimed it was all news to him.
"There's very little (truth to the rumours) because I just read about it today," he said.
"I didn't get any papers when I was away and this morning I read a bit of what has been written and apparently I have to make a decision. However, you only make a decision when you have choices available. Unless there's a proposition made, you can't make a decision on an imaginary proposition."
Villeneuve will next year enter the final year of a three-year deal with BAR and added that he has no intention of reneging on that deal.
"I have a good contract for next year and there's no reason to change it. The only way I could start thinking about doing something else is if there was something very special on offer."
More brinkmanship is occurring at troubled Arrows, though yesterday it was difficult to gauge reaction within the team to its continuing travails as the team did not turn up at the Hungaroring paddock.
After setting off from their Leafield base early in the week to make the trek to Budapest, the team's trucks were recalled by Arrows boss Tom Walkinshaw who appears to be using the no-show as an inducement to get prospective buyers to purchase the team more quickly than expected.
A no-show at the race would carry a $1 million fine and could put the team's franchise in the 12-place championship at risk, though Walkinshaw is likely to appeal to the FIA under a force majeure explanation to hold on to the franchise.
The likeliest buyer is former BAR boss Pollock, who is believed to have the backing of Seagram's in funding the purchase and running of the team. That deal looked to have been sealed by close of play at the German Grand Prix weeks ago but it now seems that the t's have yet to be crossed and i's dotted before Arrows return to the fray.
Elsewhere, Minardi's financial woes again took the stage this weekend, with the replacement of Malaysian driver Alex Yoong with young British hopeful Anthony Davidson. Yoong, who failed to qualify in four of the 12 races so far contested, was something of a cash cow,bringing with him seven-figure sums from sponsors from his native land, including the state lottery Magnum.
