Villeneuve’s uncle seriously injured

UPDATE #4 Not only did Jacques make an amazing recovery from his serious accident in Eagle River, Wisconsin, but he went on to win the last two snowmobile races of the season. After fierce determination and a rigorous physical therapy program, Jacques returned to the SCM Racing series and finished the season in his legendary style of winning races in the Pro-Champ class at both Haliburton, Ontario and Roberval, Quebec.

02/09/08 Jacques is making a remarkable recovery from the serious accident he had in Eagle River, Wisconsin on January 18. He is hoping to start racing snowmobiles again very soon, possibly as early as next weekend in Valcourt, Quebec.

01/31/08 Jacques is back home in St. Cuthbert, Quebec recuperating from surgery. He is resting comfortably and his recovery is going very well. Screws were put in his pelvis due to his pelvis and acetabular being fractured. Acetabular fractures are usually the result of major direct trauma to the pelvis and femur. Fortunately, Jacques does not have any fractures to his spinal column or legs His doctors expect him to be in recovery for two months, and say he will be able to return to racing. Jacques is optimistic that he will be able to start racing snowmobiles again in the next few weeks.

01/21/08 One of our staff contacted St. Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield, Wisconsin. He will be going back to a hospital near his home in Quebec, Canada tomorrow morning for further treatment and recovery. He said the injury to his pelvis is the most serious. He sounded pretty uncomfortable. His wife Celine was not in Eagle River when he had the accident. She is back at their home in St. Cuthbert, Quebec.

01/21/08 Jacques Villeneuve, the brother of former F1 racer Gilles Villeneuve, is in a Wisconsin area hospital with serious back and lower body injuries following a snowmobile crash over the weekend.

According to the Journal de Montreal, Villeneuve was competing in a snowmobile event in Eagle River, Wisconsin Friday night when the accident occurred. Organizers say he experienced some sort of mechanical problem during the race and immediately slowed, lifting his arm to alert other racers that he was having a problem.

As he was pulling off the course, Villeneuve's sled was struck from behind by another competitor, who was travelling at more than 225 km. Villeneuve was thrown and struck by the same sled which had just slammed into his disabled snowmobile. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital in Wisconsin suffering from multiple fractures to his pelvis and left leg as well as an undetermined spinal injury.

Early indications are that Villeneuve, 52, will require seven to nine months to recuperate from the injuries.