Jacques Villeneuve, hand in hand with FW19 , commemorate an unforgettable season for the Williams team. This car is not only considered one of the best-built single-seaters, but it was also the last single-seater of the British team from Grove that managed to win the championship.
We go back to 1997, when Villeneuve won the World Drivers’ Championship and also the Formula 1 Constructors’ title thanks to the third position he occupied in the Jerez Grand Prix , where he shared the podium with Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard, for that then McLaren drivers.
Michael Schumacher led the championship that season with 78 points, just one ahead of Villeneuve. The Canadian took pole, which made them start 1st and 2nd in a test that would mark the victory for one of the two.
This race is remembered because, during the European Grand Prix, both drivers collided, in such a way that the seven-time world champion had to withdraw due to damage to his car, giving Villeneuve and, therefore, , to Williams, the World Cup.
The Jerez Grand Prix has been considered by fans of the Gran Circo as one of the ten best automobile events of all time. Also, the Canadian pilot managed to get eight podiums and seven victories with the FW19.
The car, which is now on sale at F1 Authentics, features the original bodywork and parts used in the 1997 Formula 1 season. The car includes the wing and front end, floor, sidepods, engine cover and rear wing end plates.
It also features the original Williams colors and sponsorships from the historic 1997 season, but does not include the gearbox or engine, making it a showpiece.
The auction began on the 12th, and will end on the 26th of October at 08:30 am (CT). The current bid is around £77,000 (approximately €88,500), while the number of bids is 42 at the time of publication of this article.
