1997 Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve has parted company with the Venturi Formula E team after just three rounds, with Mike Conway replacing the Canadian.
Villeneuve, who was a surprise addition to the championship when he was announced last August, joined the team ahead of season two of the championship alongside Frenchman Stephane Sarrazin but failed to score points in any of the first three rounds, finishing outside the top ten in the opening two rounds before failing to start the race around Punta del Este in Uruguay following an accident during qualifying.
The split between driver and team was confirmed via Venturi’s Twitter account, citing a ‘disagreement over the future direction of the team’, although no further details have been revealed.
Conway, a former IndyCar race winner with Andretti Autosport, Dale Coyne Racing and Ed Carpenter Racing in the United States and part of the Toyota LMP1 World Endurance Championship squad in 2015, will make his Formula E debut around the streets of Buenos Aires in Argentina next month.
The British driver, who was once part of the Honda Formula 1 team’s testing programme but ultimately missed out on a Formula 1 race drive, has previous experience driving a Formula E car, having tested with Dragon Racing in 2014.
