"Felt like a big gladiatorial ring from the Roman Empire": When Jacques Villeneuve revealed the Indy 500's emotional impact

Jacques Villeneuve is one of the few drivers to have won the F1 and the IndyCar championships. However, one of his biggest feats remains winning the elusive Indy 500. Reflecting on how the race is bigger than any F1 event with pure hunt for speed and true racing, he compared the Indianapolis 500 to a big gladiatorial ring from the Roman Empire.

Before making his F1 debut, Villeneuve raced in the United States. He started racing in the CART championship a year after Nigel Mansell's title victory in the US. At his maiden start at the infamous "500," he finished runner-up and came back again for his redemption the very next year.

The 1995 season was the one where Jacques Villeneuve earned his IndyCar title, but most importantly, won the Indy 500. The Canadian driver seemingly completed the "505" as he received a two-lap penalty earlier in the race and was able to overcome it to emerge victorious.

While the young Canadian then moved over to the F1 realm the very next year with Williams, he learned about the importance of getting the Indy 500 victory ticked off from his list.

Reflecting on the achievement two decades later in 2017, he revealed how the race is itself a pure-bred hunting ground for racing drivers, Jacques Villeneuve said (via Motorsport.com):

"To be running at an average speed of 230mph and in traffic and in a place where you’re still allowed to risk your life, because it’s marginally safer than it was 20 years ago and have half a million people sitting in the grandstands… Back then it would be an event that lasted three weeks. You would build on it and the energy was incredible. It felt like a big gladiatorial ring from the Roman Empire."

“It was very special and it is the biggest, most important race in the world. Obviously an F1 championship is bigger, but as one single event, Indy is the biggest one."

Villeneuve made three Indy 500 race starts in his expansive racing career.

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Jacques Villeneuve once made a return to the infamous Indy 500

Jacques Villeneuve at the F1 Grand Prix Of Australia - Source: Getty

Jacques Villeneuve has participated in a myriad of racing events over the years. Though the 53-year-old is known for his F1 championship victory in 1997 and the Indy 500 victory earlier in his career, his drive for victory never stopped.

Despite this, Villeneuve wanted to get one last shot at winning another Indy 500 and came back on the 33-car grid in 2014. Sharing his thoughts ahead of his third Indy 500 start, he said (via IndyCar):

"When I was watching the races last year, I was almost angry that I wasn't there. It looks so much fun and exciting, and it was back to pure racing."

Meanwhile, the next IndyCar race is scheduled to take place in Long Beach on April 13.