Villeneuve splits with Vanwall ByKolles on eve of Le Mans

The 52-year-old Canadian, who won the 1997 F1 WDC, the last title winner for Williams, has dabbled in several series over the years, with the WEC programme with the ByKolles-run Vanwall project the mainstay of Villeneuve's racing season.

But things have gone pear-shaped according to a statement released by Villeneuvesent to media today: "I am deeply disappointed to have learned of my replacement for the upcoming Le Mans 24hrs through a public announcement released by the Vanwall Racing Team ByKolles on May 25th, 2023.

"To date, I have not received any official communication from the team, which is even more surprising given that I am still under contract to participate in the Le Mans 24hrs race.

"The timing of the release strangely coincided with my impending arrival at the hospital for the birth of our baby daughter, which had been planned for May 26th. ByKolles was well aware of this personal family event, rendering me unable to respond or address this sudden announcement."

Villeneuve's statement continued: "As a racing family, we have always successfully balanced our personal lives with our professional careers, with racing always holding a prominent place. In fact, my preparation for the Le Mans 24hrs event was meticulous and well-organized."

"Considerable time and effort were dedicated to achieving peak physical and mental readiness for this extraordinary challenge that I was really looking forward to.

"Following victories in the Indy500, Indycar and the F1 Championship, the Le Mans 24hrs holds special significance for me. Consequently, I am deeply disheartened that the opportunity to participate has been unjustly and arbitrarily denied.

"Under these circumstances, I have made the decision to abstain from participating in the remainder of the WEC season with Bykolles. Instead, I will redirect my focus and energies towards preparing for a more successful and professionally fulfilling 2024 racing season," concluded Villeneuve's statement.

The 11-time Grand Prix winner has had a number of incidents including a crash due to brake failure blamed on debris at Portimao; and a race-ending collision with the GTE Am Ferrari of Francesco Castellacci at Spa-Francorchamps.