Why Jacques Villeneuve and Michael Schumacher "never rubbed along" from day one

1997 Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has explained his difficult relationship with Michael Schumacher both on and off the track during their period of heated rivalry.

Villeneuve joined the F1 grid with a bang in 1996, moving across from the United States as the reigning Indy Car and Indianapolis 500 champion to partner Damon Hill at Williams.

While the main battle that year was with Hill, the chief outside rival was Schumacher, who had moved from Benetton to join Ferrari as the reigning double world champion.

Speaking to F1's Beyond the Grid podcast, Villeneuve opened up on his relationship, or lack of, with the German.

"We never rubber along," he said. "It's an odd one, because we never really socialised in all the years I was in F1, and he was my main competitor, so it's really a strange one."

Asked if this divide had come as a result of their intense rivalry, Villeneuve added: "I'm not sure. 

"Maybe because the Villeneuve name was still linked to Ferrari as well, and that had an effect. In Italy, you had fans that were for him and Ferrari, and fans that were also for me, and that unbalanced things a little bit. Also, because he knew I didn't care. I wasn't impressed or afraid of him, and he wasn't used to that. That's why, in the battles that I had with him, it didn't always go well for him, because I just held strong against him.

"It was the same thing I noticed when I was at BAR afterwards. He would really take his time [passing me]. There was some sort of, I don't know if it's respect or not being sure what was going to happen, but he knew that I would just fight him, and that was it. Maybe coming from The States also helped."

Villeneuve's maiden F1 victory came in his fourth race - the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring - and was achieved despite having Schumacher glued to his gearbox for the duration, with the home fans cheering on the Ferrari driver.

Reflecting on the occasion, Villeneuve said: "It was great, and he was in my mirrors the whole race, partly because I was still racing the IndyCar way, which is don't build a gap. I was controlling Micahel there. I was just keeping him in my mirror because that is what I was used to. That's changed over the years, once I realised how you had to approach F1, but that took a while to change." 

He added: "You didn't always need overtaking for a race to keep you on the edge of your seat, and he was always ever that close that a tiny mistake from me would have given him the lead, and then I wouldn't have overtaken him afterwards. It's always hard when you're the prey, because you can only falter."