Jacques Villeneuve, the brother of former F1 racer Gilles Villeneuve, is in a Wisconsin area hospital with serious back and lower body injuries following a snowmobile crash over the weekend.

According to the Journal de Montreal, Villeneuve was competing in a snowmobile event in Eagle River, Wisconsin Friday night when the accident occurred. Organizers say he experienced some sort of mechanical problem during the race and immediately slowed, lifting his arm to alert other racers that he was having a problem.

As he was pulling off the course, Villeneuve's sled was struck from behind by another compeitor, who was travelling at more than 225 km. Villeneuve was thrown and struck by the same sled which had just slammed into his disabled snowmobile. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital in Wisconsin suffering from multiple fractures to his pelvis and left leg as well as an undetermined spinal injury.

Early indications are that Villeneuve, 52, will require seven to nine months to recouperate from the injuries.

Villeneuve, who began snowmobile racing back in 1976, is the uncle of F1 world champion and current NASCAR driver Jacques Villeneuve.

I was hoping to see him @ 1 of the EPT events in Ontario this winter. Hopefully he makes a full recovery. He was on TV last weekend during a segment about the Gran Prix du Valcourt.

Jocko was racing @ Eganville yesterday. He was running as high as 2nd after Matt Schultz broke a belt. Ended up as a DNF though w/ mech' problems.