When Villeneuve’s shock return thwarted an F1 rookie

Jacques Villeneuve’s return to Formula 1 at Renault for the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix in 2004 was a seminal moment in Franck Montagny’s career. Then a test driver for Renault, he had been the logical choice for the seat vacated by Toyota-bound Jarno Trulli. But instead it was 1997 world champion Villeneuve who got the nod for the final three races of 2004 alongside Fernando Alonso.

Montagny says his contract “was clear that I was getting in the car” if one of the regular drivers needed replacing. But it didn’t play out that way. He had to wait until mid-2006, when he made his F1 race debut at the tail-end Super Aguri outfit, after being overlooked for the cameo at Renault and then for a drive at Sauber also taken by Villeneuve for 2005.

Events were set in motion by Trulli’s early departure from Renault. The Italian’s impending move to Toyota for 2005 was brought forward after a disappointing performance at the Italian Grand Prix, his last for the team he’d joined for 2002 in place of Giancarlo Fisichella. But the driver Renault boss Flavio Briatore had signed as his replacement, Fisichella, was still contracted to Sauber until the end of 2004. Renault therefore needed a stop-gap.

On the face of it, several factors appeared to favour Montagny. The two-time Dallara Nissan champion was far better acquainted with the car than any other option available, having completed 14 test days in the R24 and 50 with the team prior to Trulli’s exit.

Villeneuve hadn’t driven an F1 car in anger since his acrimonious departure from BAR on the eve of the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix, 11 months before. It was far from a certainty he’d be able to adapt quickly to the Michelin tyres either, having raced on Bridgestones while at BAR.

There appeared little downside to Renault giving a debut to a Frenchman. Although Briatore harboured ambitions of beating BAR to second in the constructors’ championship, there was realistically little riding on the end of the season unless Trulli’s replacement could hit the ground running immediately and match team leader Alonso.

In what could be deemed a successful season, it had already recorded a win courtesy of Trulli in Monaco, and the respective struggles of Williams and McLaren meant Renault was unlikely to miss out on third. Moreover, without the pressure of competing for a full-time race seat, the race outings would surely only boost Montagny’s input into testing the 2005 car.