Jacques Villeneuve returns to Williams
27 years after his last stint with Williams in F1, the Canadian world champion returns to the Grove team, this time as an ambassador for the 2025 season.
A beautiful reunion. Williams announced that Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 world champion behind the wheel of the team created by Frank Williams, becomes an ambassador for the next F1 season. Good news for the British team, which will be able to benefit from the Canadian's expertise.
A very strong link between Villeneuve and Williams
Upon the announcement of this news, Villeneuve declared: "Williams has been an essential part of my life, filled with unforgettable memories. I am thrilled to be part of the family again and to help celebrate the team's legacy while supporting its future." Having arrived in F1 in 1996 after his CART title the previous year, the Canadian spent three magnificent seasons at Williams, culminating in the world title in 1997 after a fierce duel against Michael Schumacher's Ferrari. To this day, he remains the last driver to have won a title for Williams.
Williams surrounds himself with world champions
In this role, he will evolve alongside Jenson Button, who is also a world champion in 2009, and female driver and triple W Series world champion Jamie Chadwick, who were already present last season and have been renewed by Williams. Team director James Vowles said he was delighted to have such a competent staff. « It is a privilege to have Jenson, Jacques, and Jamie with us for 2025. Together, they perfectly embody this iconic team: our rich history, our tradition of investing in future champions and making motorsport more accessible, as well as our ambition and determination to write a new chapter in history. »
« Jenson and Jacques made their F1 debut with Williams before becoming world champions, while Jamie [Chadwick] pushed boundaries for women in motorsport as a Williams Racing driver and mentor to Lia [Block]. We are excited to see them be part of the next chapter in Williams' history. » With the return of Jacques Villeneuve, this is a new acquisition for the Williams team following that of Carlos Sainz. These recruitments demonstrate the ambition of the British team, which seeks to regain the performances it had when Jacques Villeneuve was still behind the wheel. Returning to the top is Williams' goal in the coming years.
