Villeneuve attacks Schumi - 17th August 20:37pm GMT

Canadian Jacques Villeneuve has slammed seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, saying the German is not a great human being and claiming he lies to his fans.

"Michael simply isn't a great champion because he's played too many dirty tricks and because he isn't a great human being," Villeneuve told F1 Racing magazine.

"Yes, Senna played dirty tricks too but he did it with more class, more integrity. When he took Prost out at Suzuka in 1990, he said he was going to do it before the race.

"So, unlike Michael, who ridiculously insisted he was innocent at Monaco this year, Senna said, 'Yes, I did it. But I told you before the race that I was going to do it.' That's very different from what Michael did at Monaco and Jerez (in 1997) and Adelaide (in 1994).

"Senna wasn't lying to the fans. Michael was. And the sad thing is that, of course, the fans accept it - they swear black is white, in fact - just so that they can go on respecting the sport they love. And Michael takes advantage of that loyalty."

"I think the problem is that you don't ever see his true personality. He's a racer - but a pure racer, nothing but a racer and, because of that, I think the day he hangs up his helmet people will just forget him.

"Senna, by contrast, will never be forgotten. Some of that is the James Dean factor, of course, because he was killed in action at a young age, but not all of it.

"I don't even think Michael will live on in people's memories as strong or as long as Prost has - certainly not as strong or as long as Mansell has. Those people attained a hero status that Michael never has and never will."

Editor: I guess Villeneuve knows what its like to be a champion that no one talks about anymore.