Villeneuve does not want parents to encourage their kids to race

Published 01/16/2019, 10:02 AM EST

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Jacques Villeneuve launched a new initiative yesterday called ‘Feed Racing’, which is kind of a young driver development programme, which will help talented youngsters climb up the ladder in motorsport. However, his comments does not seem to be the best marketing idea ever.

“Often, parents come to me and ask ‘What should I do to help my son?’ and my first response now is ‘Tell him to do something else,” often outspoken Villeneuve told Canada’s Le Journal de Montreal. “It’s an awful answer but I’m not able to lie.”

via Imago

He did not stop there and had a more explosive follow up comment to it. “Today, enabling a teenager to race is like giving him a Christmas present, with a very big tree. That’s not what an education is about, and that aspect started to bother me,” he said.

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Villeneuve may have made the news for his oft senseless takes on many situations, but that does not take away the fact that he has started a good initiative which will help talented youngsters hopefully reach F1 in the future.

The former champion revealed his noble intention to start the programme. “I have the impression today that the financial contribution is more important than talent,” explained Villeneuve.

“It’s a bit unrealistic for a kid to hope for a career as a driver. I’ve been in the paddocks for a number of years now and I see how it’s going and I’ve really taken notice, perhaps because I have kids too.”

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via Imago

The scheme by Villeneuve is open to anyone from the age of 14 to 20, regardless of their experience, with a $17,000 sign-up fee. Ninety-six participants will take part in an initiation at Magny Cours onboard Formula 4 machinery, with a four-stage elimination process leading to a final that will oppose five drivers.

The winner, who will be announced in November, will be awarded a fully funded season in the Italian F4 championship.

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Written by:

Rahul Venkat

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