Travelling around the globe with Formula 1 isn’t always glamorous and Jacques Villeneuve found that out on the way to the Australian Grand Prix.
The 1997 F1 World Champion found himself in a real pickle at Milan’s Malpensa Airport as he headed Down Under for this weekend’s season opener at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit.
Villeneuve shared his dramatic journey on his Instagram account, posting a picture of himself looking unimpressed inside a grey toilet cubicle.
“Been stuck in the toilets for the last 20 minutes and security is incapable of getting me out,” Villeneuve captioned his first image.
“Toilet flushing every 30 seconds. Having a blast.
“Very impressive.”
Some of his fellow drivers took great joy in the situation with ex-Ferrari star Jean Alesi replying: “Hope you had a good [poo emoji].”
And on the follow-up post, the Frenchman added: “Next time call me I have quick solution [dynamite and bomb emojis].”
Fans quickly got involved too, with Villeneuve happy to see the funny side of the situation.
Dutch racing driver Tom Coronel, meanwhile, asked if he knew who had locked him in.
And Villeneuve was forced to admit he might not be the most popular character in the paddock.
He added: “Hahaha, wondering how many enemies I have before the 1st GP!”
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Determined to break free, Villeneuve eventually took matters into his own hands and kicked down the door, later sharing a photo of the damaged cubicle.
“Good start to the trip to Australia,” he wrote.
“Managed to get out after 30 minutes [smiling face emoji] had to kick the door down, and a block from the ceiling fell on my head.
“Ready to get down under [arm flex emoji]. Travelling is [smiling face emoji].”
Villeneuve is the son of the legendary Gilles Villeneuve who carved out an extraordinary motorsport career with impressive title wins in IndyCar and Formula 1.
His journey began in the late 1980s, progressing through the fiercely competitive ranks across the globe.
His big breakthrough came during the IndyCar series.
In 1994, he made a strong impression, and in 1995, he achieved a historic double win, clinching the prestigious Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar title.
This success catapulted him into Formula 1 with the Williams team in 1996, where his talent shone brightly as he challenged for the championship in his debut season.
The pinnacle of his illustrious career arrived in 1997, when he secured the Formula 1 World Championship in a thrilling season finale.
After his championship triumph, Villeneuve’s career took a different path. He spent several seasons with the BAR team, though with less notable success.
Later on, he raced for teams like Renault, Sauber, and BMW Sauber.
Beyond Formula 1, Villeneuve delved into various racing disciplines, including sports car racing and NASCAR.
His journey to Australia may have been rough but the trip will be worth it as the 2025 F1 calendar kicks off this weekend in Melbourne, Australia.
Track action begins with practice overnight on Friday, followed by qualifying at 5am on Saturday, and the 58-lap race set to start at 4am on Sunday.
