1997 Formula One World Champion Jacques Villeneuve will join the BBC 5Live commentary team in the booth for the season opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

JV, will be stepping in for Anthony Davidson who will be away for the weekend in preparation for testing with Peugeout ahead of the opening round of the American Le Mans series at Sebring next weekend.

Villeneuve hasn’t raced in Formula One since 2006, where he was unceremoniously dropped from the BMW-Sauber team midway through the season in preference to then-Third Driver Robert Kubica. He had hoped to make another comeback this year with the Stefan GP team. Those plans were shelved last week when the FIA refused the team a slot on the grid after the USF1 operation shut their doors. The FIA will be opening the selection process for new teams later this year.

Jacques has also never been one to hold back his opinions, so we could get some cracking soundbites over the course of the weekend. It will also be great to hear his insight into the Stefan GP operation, and the FIA’s refusal to allow the team – who purchased the Toyota intellectual property, and equipment a place on the grid this season.