Jacques Villeneuve's hopes of completing motorsport's Triple Crown is over for 2023 as the 1997 Formula 1 champion is set to miss the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Villeneuve's Floyd Vanwall Racing team has replaced him on the driver roster for the June 10-11th race with IMSA Sportscar racer winner Tristan Vautier, who will partner Tom Dillmann and Esteban Guerrieri behind the wheel of the #4 Hypercar entry.
RacingNews365 understands the decision has been taken based on a variety of factors, including Villeneuve's patchy form in the car and the fact his wife is expecting their baby in early June.
As the Vanwall is entered in the Hypercar class, the car has an outside chance of overall victory in the 24 Hours - which would have made Villeneuve just the second driver after Graham Hill to claim the Triple Crown.
To do so, a driver must take overall victory at Le Mans, win the Indianapolis 500 and, depending on your view, win the Monaco Grand Prix or F1 title.
Villeneuve claimed Indy success in 1995, and the F1 title two years later with Williams. His best result at Le Mans was second overall in 2008 for Peugeot.
Other drivers close to the Triple Crown include Juan Pablo Montoya who requires Le Mans victory and Fernando Alonso, who tried - and failed - to win the Indy 500 in 2017, 2019 and 2020.
RacingNews365 has contacted Floyd Vanwall Racing for comment.
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