Despite only winning six F1 races Gilles Villeneuve is widely regarded as one of motor racing's greatest ever drivers.
More than quarter of a century on from his death the name of Gilles Villeneuve is still revered among fans of the sport. The little French-Canadian had a relatively brief Formula 1 career but his spectacular driving style and refusal to admit defeat endeared him to millions.
Villeneuve’s unique talent was obvious from his very first Formula 1 test with McLaren. Numerous spins initially suggested that he may have been out of his depth but it was merely his novel way of finding the limit. Rather than build up to the ultimate speed a corner could be negotiated at he preferred to start by entering the corner far too quickly and then reducing his speed until he didn’t spin. His fearless approach had its roots in his early career, when he competed in the fearsome world of snowmobile racing.
Although his Formula 1 debut came in a McLaren it was with the Ferrari team that Villeneuve was to become synonymous. While McLaren inexplicably failed to sign Villeneuve following a stellar debut drive at the 1977 British Grand Prix, Enzo Ferrari was far shrewder. For the rest of his Grand Prix career Villeneuve would only drive the red cars from Maranello.
His maiden Grand Prix win came at his home race, the 1978 Canadian Grand Prix. For 1979 he was paired with the experienced South African driver Jody Scheckter and the two formed a good relationship. That year saw Villeneuve involved in perhaps the most memorable Formula 1 battle of all time. During the closing laps he continually swapped positions with René Arnoux, often banging wheels in the process, as they fought over second position. Despite being reprimanded by the governing body for their behaviour neither man regretted it. Arnoux would later describe the fight with Villeneuve as his, “greatest souvenir in racing.”
At Zandvoort in 1979 Villeneuve demonstrated his inability to accept a hopeless situation. Following a puncture which caused him to spin he decided to drive back to the pits on three wheels. Travelling at breakneck speed the wheel assembly quickly disintegrated, and at some points only two wheels were in contact with the track surface. Needless to say the damage could not be repaired.
At Watkins Glen the same year Villeneuve showed his ability in the wet during a sodden practice session. Incredibly he lapped the circuit 11 seconds faster than anyone else. Many of the drivers elected to stand at the first corner and watch him as he sped by rather than try and compete with his times anymore.
Perhaps the greatest wins of Villeneuve’s career came in 1981, his penultimate season. The Ferrari 126C was a dog of a car. By this time Ferrari had a turbo engine but it suffered from significant throttle lag and the chassis was poor. At Monaco, the circuit which requires the most precision of any track, Villeneuve scored a memorable win. In Spain he held off a procession of cars for almost the entire race to take the final win of his career.
The Ferrari 126C2 of 1982 was a far better machine and Villeneuve was one of the favourites for the championship. At the San Marino Grand Prix he was leading with his team-mate Didier Pironi close behind. With both drivers a long way ahead of anyone else and the race nearing its end Ferrari instructed them to slow down and conserve fuel. Villeneuve dutifully obeyed but Pironi passed him. Assuming that the French man wanted to put on a show for the Italian crowd he re-passed Pironi and slowed the pace again. This passing and re-passing happened several times until, on the final lap Pironi dived inside Villeneuve at the last feasible overtaking opportunity. The French-Canadian was livid, feeling that victory had been stolen from him, and refused to speak to Pironi. The lap charts bore testimony to his version of events. The lap times were significantly faster any time Pironi had been in front.
Villeneuve arrived in Belgium for the next round still deeply unhappy. In 1979 he had been in a similar situation at Monza, with the World Championship at stake. Running behind his team-mate Scheckter he knew that he had to pass him to keep his own title hopes alive but he made no effort to do so. Scheckter won the title but Villeneuve was content that he’d kept his word.
Near the end of qualifying Villeneuve was on his way back to the pits but still travelling at tremendous speed. Approaching a corner called Terlamenbocht he tried to pass the slow March of Jochen Mass. Mass moved right to allow the Ferrari past but Villeneuve also moved right. The number 27 car was catapulted over the rear wheel of the March and comprehensively destroyed. The best loved driver of his generation was gone.
Today, the Canadian Grand Prix circuit in Montreal is named the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. In Maranello there is a memorial to Villeneuve near the Ferrari factory and the road leading to the test track is named after him.
