11 times Formula 1 race winner Jacques Villeneuve has signed on for the Townsville 400, the next round for the iconic V8 Supercars championship. The event scheduled for next month will see the former Canadian Formula 1 champion battle it out with race champions Craig Lowndes and Mark Winterbottom as they make the 15,000 km trip from Montreal to Australia.

The race will take place over three days starting on 6 July with Villeneuve representing the Pepsi Max Crew team. The one-off one race deal to fill in for injured Greg Murphy may result in more races, according to reports.

The 1997 F1 champion who is keen to test himself spoke exclusively to the Daily Telegraph explaining his interest in the race. In a move that could put the Australian sport on the global map, the fast car driver declared that he is open to offers to join the series from next season: “I like the V8s because it is not a support series, it is the real thing; the main attraction. So yes, going to race in the series full-time is definitely something I would be interested in.

“The last few years I have been focused on NASCAR but I would certainly be interested in shifting that to V8s and at the moment I have nothing locked in for next year.

Reports claim that the Canadian automobile racer received the surprised phone call for his inclusion in the Townsville 400 last Friday. He immediately said yes.

Villeneuve is no stranger to the V8, having competed in the 2010 Surfers Paradise event as an international guest driver. He finished in fifth place.