I'll be at BMW next season - Villeneuve

Jacques Villeneuve is certain to be at BMW-Sauber for the 2006 season. BMW, who has bought out the exisiting Sauber Team, announced in mid-September that they had signed Nick Heidfeld to drive for the team next year.

Villeneuve has a binding contract with Sauber and has no doubts that he will be lining up alongside Heidfeld 2006.
Jacques Villeneuve "Of course it's certain. Why is it not certain? I have a contract. Look at Jenson - he didn't want to stay at BAR last year, but his contract forced him to stay there. Contracts are quite powerful things.
Besides, there's no indication that BMW are unhappy with the fact of my contract. So, there’s no reason for me to be worried. And I'm already building good relationships with Mario [Theissen, BMW's motorsport director] and the other BMW guys. It's going to be fantastic.

The former World Champion is convinced that the 2006 season will witness BMW-Sauber make significant inroads through the F1 field.
"There will be a bigger budget under BMW than there is under Sauber - which is important. I mean: we have the best wind tunnel in F1, at Hinwil, but it isn't being used all the time because of lack of budget. And that's just one example. So a bigger budget will help in many ways."

Villeneuve is adamant that the team can make an instant improvement.
"It can happen overnight. Just look at 1998, when McLaren won the championship, having been behind Williams, Ferrari and even Benetton the previous year. Out of the blue, it can happen."