Former F1 driver and 1997 champion Jacques Villeneuve will be back behind the wheel of a production car next weekend, thanks to Alpine, who invited the Canadian to test his 2021 A521 car at Monza, after the GP of ‘Italy.

This “track day” was organized by Alpine and the French television channel Canal+, for which Villeneuve is a consultant, in honor of the Canadian on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his F1 title won with the Williams team, powered by Renault, in 1997.

It will be the Canadian’s first time in an F1 since 2006, the year of his last Grand Prix in the category, at Hockenheim with BMW-Sauber.

“It happened thanks to the link with Canal+, a French team and French TV, and the title 25 years ago with Renault,” Villeneuve told Motorsport.com at Zandvoort last weekend.

Although Villeneuve won all of his eleven F1 victories with Williams in 1996 and 1997, the Canadian contested three races later in his career with the Renault team in 2004.

“I did three races with Fernando (Alonso), so I have a past with this team, and Alpine’s sporting director Alan Permane was my race engineer. It’s super, super exciting. It’s crazy It will be nice to understand what these cars look like too.

“I tried the simulator. Modern cars aren’t impressive at low speeds, but they are amazing at high speeds. It’s going to be “hell” because the G-forces will be incredible. The good thing is that at least he has a long straight. So, physically, I can relax! “, did he declare.

Later that year, Villeneuve qualified and raced in the Daytona 500, a NASCAR flagship event. At 51, the veteran still considers himself an active driver.

“I never stopped wanting to do it,” he added. “So my goal lately has been to go to NASCAR. After doing Daytona this year, it kind of made me want to try to start a season. But now I’m so busy with TV that it kind of blocks everything else,” added the Canadian.

Alpine has also offered Canal+ F1 commentator and amateur driver Julien Febreau the opportunity to test drive the French team’s A521, driven last season by Alonso and teammate Esteban Ocon.