DECEMBER 1, 2006

Jacques has a deal - now he needs money

According to reports in Canada, former Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve has reached an agreement with Roush Racing to help him set up an operation in NASCAR next spring. Villeneuve now needs to find around $18m in sponsorship income to pay for the adventure. Roush President Geoff Smith has told XM Satellite radio that Villeneuve would begin his career in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series before graduating to the Busch Series. This would mean that Villeneuve could be racing in front of his home crowd in Montreal next summer when the Busch Series goes to Canada for the first time.

Villeneuve's aim is to join Juan Pablo Montoya in the NASCAR Nextel Cup - which is fast becoming a retirement home for former F1 drivers.