Gilles Villeneuve

GILLES VILLENEUVE d1982. Canadian racing driver remembered for his outstanding skill and car control. His F1 career record was 68 races / 13 podiums with 6 wins. An enthusiast of cars and fast driving from an early age, he started his professional career in snowmobile racing in his native province of Quebec. He moved into single- seaters winning the US and Canadian Formula Atlantic championships in 1976, before being offered a drive in Formula One with McLaren at the 1977 British Grand Prix. He was then taken on by reigning world champions Ferrari until the end of the season and then later (between 1978-1982) continuously driving for the Italian team. He won six Grand Prix races during his short-lived F1 career and in 1979 finished second (by four points) in the championship to Ferrari team-mate Jody Scheckter. Gilles Villeneuve sadly died at Zolder (aged just 32) in a 140mph crash, caused by a collision with the March of Jochen Mass during qualifying for the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix. At the time of his death, he was extremely popular with motor-sport fans around the world and has since become a much reverred figure in the history of the sport. His son (Jaques Villeneuve) became Formula One World Champion in 1997