Occupation Head of engineering | Name Craig Pollock | |
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Born February 20, 1956 (age 68) ( 1956-02-20 ) Falkirk, Scotland Employer Propulsion Universelle et Recuperation d'Energie Similar People Jacques Villeneuve, Ricardo Zonta, Olivier Panis, Mika Salo, Takuma Sato | ||
Craig Pollock (born February 20, 1956) is a businessman who was the manager of the Formula One driver Jacques Villeneuve throughout his top-level career, and team principal of the British American Racing team from 1999 to 2002. He is currently the head of engineering company Propulsion Universelle et Recuperation d'Energie (PURE).
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Relationship with Jacques Villeneuve
Pollock worked as a teacher in the late 1970s eventually becoming director of sport at the College Beausoleil in Villars, Switzerland. Here he met a young Jacques Villeneuve who had been sent to the school following the death of his Formula One driver father Gilles. Their shared passion for skiing allowed them to become friends before Pollock moved on to set up his own business.
After leaving school Villeneuve pursued a career as a racing driver, following in his father's footsteps, and eventually moved to Japan. The two men were brought back together by a chance meeting at the Suzuka circuit, and Pollock agreed to become Villeneuve's manager.
In 1993 Villeneuve raced in American Formula Atlantic before breaking into IndyCars in 1994. After winning a race in his rookie season Villeneuve took the CART championship and prestigious Indianapolis 500 win in 1995. The following year Villeneuve relocated to Europe, joining Williams Grand Prix and bringing Pollock into Formula One.
Riding on the back of Villeneuve's 1997 Formula One title, Pollock persuaded British American Tobacco to bankroll his ambition of becoming a team manager. In 1998 Pollock purchased Tyrrell, renaming it British American Racing (BAR), and signed his close friend and driver to be team leader. Immediately a controversial figure, Pollock made numerous claims about how successful his team would be. His high hopes proved to be unfounded however with a disastrous debut in 1999.
Results continued to be poor and by 2001 British American Tobacco had lost patience. Pollock was replaced as team principal by David Richards, although he remained a shareholder until the partial Honda buyout in 2004.
Pollock managed Villeneuve through the end of his Formula One career, and he made an application to motorsport governing body the FIA to enter a Formula One team for 2008. The proposed team was one of many rejected in favour of David Richard's Prodrive entry.
Pollock and Villeneuve ended their business relationship in January 2008.
PURE
In May 2011, Pollock announced his creation of Propulsion Universelle et Recuperation d'Energie (PURE), an engineering company which claimed to produce F1 engines for the 2014 technical regulations. In July 2012, technical director Gilles Simon announced his departure from PURE in a general email sent out to suppliers and colleagues due to the financial difficulties the company was having. Since Gilles Simon's departure PURE's financial trouble has been well publicised throughout the globe.
Other business ventures
In 2003, Pollock formed CART team PK Racing, with businessman Kevin Kalkhoven. He remained as co-owner of the team until 2004.