‘Amazing’ to qualify for Daytona, beams Villeneuve

Jacques Villeneuve has succeeded in his bid to qualify for the Daytona 500, 14 years after his previous attempt.

The 1997 Formula 1 World Champion has mainly been a NASCAR racer since his final grand prix appearance for Sauber in 2006, most recently in the Whelen Euro Series.

Driving a Ford for the recently-founded Team Hezeberg, the Canadian decided to give the Daytona 500 a go for the first time since 2008 at this week’s qualifying time trials – and unlike the last occasion, when he crashed, he made it through into the line-up.

The race itself will take place on Sunday, starting at 19:30 GMT.

Six cars took part in the time trials and the Associated Press report Villeneuve’s machine needed three tries to pass NASCAR inspection.

But once out on the track, the 50-year-old clocked a faster time than all of his rivals and celebrated wildly, jogging down the pit lane to find his crew and dish out the high-fives.

#DAYTONA500 Media Day begins for @27villeneuve pic.twitter.com/yPqBrHWMFC

— Team Hezeberg (@TeamHezeberg) February 16, 2022

“To be able to make such a big race at such a high level is amazing and when I’m in the race car I don’t realise I’m 50, which is good,” said the former Williams and BAR racer. “As long as it carries on like this, I can’t imagine myself stopping racing.

“It’s satisfying and amazing because there are quite a few times I’ve been hearing ‘come on, you’re past it, just give up’.

“No, the hunger has never stopped…until the day when I guess you start getting your foot off the throttle because you get a bit scared or you don’t get that adrenalin rush anymore as a positive thing. That’s when you should stop.”

Villeneuve recently became a father for the fifth time, his partner Giulia giving birth to a