No concrete talks for 2011 return yet - Villeneuve

Jacques Villeneuve has admitted he is not yet in talks with any teams about making a return to Formula One.

The French Canadian, who came close to driving for the hopeful Serbian outfit Stefan GP this season, said last weekend he will make a final effort to find a seat for 2011.

"I am working on it more than ever, and for that reason I have postponed a participation in the NASCAR circuit," 1997 world champion Villeneuve, who turns 40 early next year, said in an interview with Austria's Salzburger Nachrichten.

Stefan GP, however, seems unlikely to be on the grid any time soon, and Renault team boss Eric Boullier said recently that he is not interested in signing Villeneuve.

Asked if there are already "concrete negotiations" with any teams, he answered: "No, nothing concrete, because it's too early in the season.

"There are some positive contacts. If the Stefan project had worked out, I would be driving in F1 already this year."

Villeneuve acknowledged that a place with a top team is not initially likely.

"I have a longer term plan," he said. "The most important thing is to get inside, and then you can look around and find the right place."

Source: Motorsport.com

Stefan GP 'very close' to announcing drivers

Zoran Stefanovic on Wednesday refused to be drawn on the identity of the drivers for his hopeful formula one entrant Stefan GP.

The Serbian outfit is pushing hard to be included on the 2010 entry list, and it was reported earlier that Indian driver Karun Chandhok might have been signed for his $6m sponsorship purse.

It is widely expected that Kazuki Nakajima is already guaranteed one race seat, should Stefan GP be shone the green light to contest the forthcoming world championship with the withdrawn Toyota's 2010 package.

"We are in various negotiations, but it has not been sorted out completely
now," Stefanovic said in an interview with Italy's 422race.com.

"We are very close to (deciding) and very shortly we will be announcing
the drivers officially. At the moment not yet, but we are very near. But we still cannot confirm any names yet," he added.

Stefanovic would not say if Ralf Schumacher is being considered, but did reveal that at least one of Stefan's 2010 drivers "will be Japanese".

He also denied reports that, alongside spygate conspirator Mike Coughlan, sacked McLaren 'liegate' team manager Dave Ryan has been appointed to work with Stefan.

"No. I don't know how it came out, but Dave Ryan is not connected to our
team. Simply, he's not," Stefanovic said.

As for former Force India boss Colin Kolles, the Serbian businessman admitted that the Romanian-German "is in contact with us, but he's not part of the team".

Source: F1 Complete