Apr.6 (GMM) Jacques Villeneuve had mixed feelings as he made his return to a formula one paddock in Bahrain this weekend.

The 1997 world champion said he has enjoyed being trackside again, after unceremoniously leaving the BMW-Sauber team during the 2006 season -- ironically to be replaced by Robert Kubica, who scored his and the Swiss-German team's first pole in Villeneuve's presence.

Villeneuve had travelled to the Sakhir circuit to race in the Speedcar support category, explaining that he is trying to compile a budget to return to the premier stock car series, NASCAR, in the future.

French-Canadian Villeneuve, 36, then took in the qualifying session from the garage of his famous father's former team, Ferrari.

His only pang of regret is that his F1 career ended before the FIA outlawed driver aids, including traction control

"These cars would be exactly to my taste," Villeneuve told the Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell. "Unfortunately, the rules changed a little too late for me."