Salut Gilles

I searched and couldn't find a specific topic and apologies to the mods if I have missed one.

34 years today, I was 12 at the time and couldn't comprehend it.
Salut to perhaps the fastest and definitely the most free spirited to ever drive the wheels off a racing car.

Salut Gilles.

Regards Mike

 

Thanks for the reminder  blackmme, Any one who might wonder why Gilles is so revered by enthusiasts should look at the video up at Racing Comments, of the  Canadian Grand Prix 1981.

RIP   Gilles               

Don't forget the #21 at the 1977 Canadian GP. These are my lottery numbers!  2, 11, 12, 21, 27 40.  I'm guessing that if it ever wins, there will a bunch of us splitting!!

34 years, by now even more than 1/3th of a century ago.

And it still feels like so short ago.

The candle diid burn yesterday.

 

 

Salut Gilles, there are times that I, like others, don't think about you, but we will never forget you.

 

 

Henri

Can't believe it 34 years, thanks for thereminder.

http://www.foxsports...te-antti-050816

 

 

I run out of words if I must describe what I saw and felt yet don't have words enough experess myself truly and entirely.

 

 

Brain, thank you so much for this link, I now again remember why I became an F1 and a Gilles fan

 

 

Henri

Gilles was the best. You could see it every time he went past. The cars were toys to him and the tracks were big back yards.

Now I've got tears on my omelet.

Thanks for dreaming big, Gilles.

In my book the two greatest racers ever were Gilles and Nuvolari.  And Nuvolari I only know of from what I've read.

inteview with the late great gilles villenueve. better if there was an uncut version

 

and because i can......

 

https://www.flickr.c...157624008130538

and because i can......

 

https://www.flickr.c...157624008130538

he was certainly the most loved driver, I was just 6 when he died so all I saw of him was archive footage, too young to remember

My parents were F1 fans too so most probably I had seen races already in '82 but I don't remember it, my memories of watching F1 races go back to 1984 so I missed the Villeneuve years. Haven't missed a single race since 1985

 

As a child my four biggest F1 heroes were Jacky Ickx, J-M Fangio, Jim Clark and Gilles Villeneuve and from the ones that I saw driving in the '80s in F1 on tv (and live at Spa) Patrese (I liked his personality) and de Angelis were my two biggest favourites

But Gilles was the most special of all of them, he drove the Ferrari like a rally car with a lot of oversteer.

Very different from the clean style of Stewart or Lauda, Gilles driving style was emotional, Lauda's cold and calculated.

 

the images of Gilles in the Ferrari actually reminded me of Henri Toivonen (my favourite rally driver of all time, I was devastated when he and de Angelis died when I was a child) in the Lancia

I think we can say that Toivonen was the Gilles Villeneuve or rally.

Edited by William Hunt, 09 June 2017 - 02:55.

he was certainly the most loved driver, I was just 6 when he died so all I saw of him was archive footage, too young to remember

My parents were F1 fans too so most probably I had seen races already in '82 but I don't remember it, my memories of watching F1 races go back to 1984 so I missed the Villeneuve years. Haven't missed a single race since 1985

 

As a child my four biggest F1 heroes were Jacky Ickx, J-M Fangio, Jim Clark and Gilles Villeneuve and from the ones that I saw driving in the '80s in F1 on tv (and live at Spa) Patrese (I liked his personality) and de Angelis were my two biggest favourites

But Gilles was the most special of all of them, he drove the Ferrari like a rally car with a lot of oversteer.

Very different from the clean style of Stewart or Lauda, Gilles driving style was emotional, Lauda's cold and calculated.

 

the images of Gilles in the Ferrari actually reminded me of Henri Toivonen (my favourite rally driver of all time, I was devastated when he and de Angelis died when I was a child) in the Lancia

I think we can say that Toivonen was the Gilles Villeneuve or rally.

 

 

Funny, Toivonen was also my favorite rally driver ever.

I wonder if more race fans have Gilles and Henri as their favorites in F1 and Rallying. They have indeed a lot in common.

 

Coincidence? Both med drove and died in cars of the FIAT Group......

 

 

 

henri

After all these years it still hurts when I think about Gilles' death. By far my favourite driver ever.

Yes, I was also Toivonen's fan. 

After all these years it still hurts when I think about Gilles' death. By far my favourite driver ever.

You, too?

Gilles' 1979 South African GP winning car in the Montreal paddock this weekend.

Edited by cheesy poofs, 12 June 2017 - 13:10.

Shivers...

A couple of record sources confirm # 12 for S Africa 1979 and #21 for Can 1977. By the next (last) 77 GP in Japan he had taken over Lauda's # 11. I think B Squared is correct. Are just the numbers incorrect?

Edited by D28, 12 June 2017 - 15:16.

Yes, numbers are incorrect.

Perhaps there's a Lauda car in that club who got 12 already (wasn't going to say "The 12" for fear of NASCAR branding).

Lauda left Ferrari after the 1977 season, so he never ran a 312 T4 or T5 as the nose suggests the number 21 is. Scheckter ran 11 in 1979 and number 1 in 1980, Villeneuve 12 in 1979 and 2 in 1980. I don't recall anyone else running these particular cars during their respective seasons to be represented by this number.

A neat car that I'd love to have, but I'm interested to know what would motivate someone to not properly represent the car as raced.

Lauda left Ferrari abruptly at the 77 Canadian GP, one reason being stated he objected to a 3rd entry for Villeneuve. I agree with you  #21 was a one off deal, #11 is absent from Canada as it would have been on Lauda's entry also absent.

 

#12 was very much associated with Gilles, a puzzle indeed.

Lauda left Ferrari after the 1977 season, so he never ran a 312 T4 or T5 as the nose suggests the number 21 is. Scheckter ran 11 in 1979 and number 1 in 1980, Villeneuve 12 in 1979 and 2 in 1980. I don't recall anyone else running these particular cars during their respective seasons to be represented by this number.A neat car that I'd love to have, but I'm interested to know what would motivate someone to not properly represent the car as raced.

No, sorry, I was saying that if this car was (Edit: is currently) running in historic races, someone else in that club may be using the #12 -- hence now using 21 as the closest alternative in races.

Edited by E1pix, 12 June 2017 - 17:25.

A glance at the Masters Historic entry list for Montreal (Cdn GP) shows #12 to be Gregory Thornton in a Lotus 91/5.

 

and the #21 Ferrari 312 T4 of Danny Baker.

 

E1pix has the obvious answer I'm sure.

Edited by D28, 12 June 2017 - 18:00.

It's a Ferrari re-badged as a Lotus. ;-)

kayalami 1979, gilles driving is actually quite clean besides using more track than exist but he tends to push it every now and then...very early on throttle. murray walker "thats villeneuve, the coolest man in motor racing" says it all

 

It's a Ferrari re-badged as a Lotus. ;-)

The same car was at the CDNGP support event a few years ago and did have its original number 12 that time. Just wondering why no one thought of switching race numbers to give that Ferrari its original race number for this event.

the famous duel...1979 french grand prix. gilles typically lightning start and created a large gap it the first part of the race

 

Edited by pierrre, 02 July 2017 - 06:49.

its a lot better to watch the race in length and know the situation they were in...gilles drove the wheels off that ferrari once arnoux was in close proximity eventhough his tyres were gone..shockingly he still had somemore to give. i bet arnoux never knew what was coming first time he overtook no.12

The below was posted in an Avatar thread in The Paddock Club a week or so ago, hope it's okay here as well...

My first avatar here was my karting helmet -- to reflect my best days at any track -- then one day I decided it should be something reflecting my best Hero memory at a track. The choice was obvious.

I became a race reporter while still 14, following in the same steps as a friend and mentor, Gordon Smiley. I've never quite decided if that was inspired more by my love of writing, or the respect I held for Nomexed gladiators who'd had me in awe over 11 years by that time. It was all I really cared about.

Starting in around 1972, a kid at school kept raving about this little Canadian who was Pure Magic at the World Championship snowmobile races a few hundred miles north of our Wisconsin home. My not being a sled fan, his name escaped me until reading about a Formula Atlantic racer with Skiroule on his car. I confirmed his name with the classmate and started following Gilles at that point, then finally saw him in person at the 1977 Can-Am at Road America, driving what for all intents looked like a V8 snowmobile.

By 18, I'd already had maybe 30 media creds, and had watched frothing corner workers all the way through in their assuming I'd stolen it. In the summer of 1978, I covered several big-time races for a small startup rag in the States, and in September my Editor called and asked if I'd cover the two North American GPs. Problem was, all my monies from helmet and racecar painting had been spent kart racing. I mentioned this to my new, month-long girlfriend -- who attended her first-ever race with me a week earlier and was hooked -- and she insisted on giving me $400 for the trips. For 4,000 more reasons having nothing to do with money, we're still together 39 years on.

I loaded up my Dad's clapped-out, '72 Opel wagon -- in fifth-hand shape as everyone in the family had pre-crashed it -- but my lady was still finishing high school and her Dad would have never let her go anyway. I needed a partner and the only one who could come was an annoying older brother of a lifetime friend. So off we went, first to Watkins Glen and then over the border.

Arriving in Montreal, I learned nobody as young as me ever had a GP cred in Canada. I stuck the Media sticker on the Opel windshield and asked a track constructor if I could run a few laps to "find photo locations." It worked.

We ran four laps, and on the third I climbed the hairpin curb, probably making V12 sounds as I did. On the fourth lap we realized the paint hadn't quite dried, and we had infamously left tire scrubs on the curbing before anyone else -- GV included.

Gilles of course went on to history three days later. I probably cried as he did, but that weekend remains untouchable in 54 years of going to the races.

Bless you, Gilles and Gordon. Losing them a week apart will never quite leave me.

The below was posted in an Avatar thread in The Paddock Club a week or so ago, hope it's okay here as well...

My first avatar here was my karting helmet -- to reflect my best days at any track -- then one day I decided it should be something reflecting my best Hero memory at a track. The choice was obvious.

I became a race reporter while still 14, following in the same steps as a friend and mentor, Gordon Smiley. I've never quite decided if that was inspired more by my love of writing, or the respect I held for Nomexed gladiators who'd had me in awe over 11 years by that time. It was all I really cared about.

Starting in around 1972, a kid at school kept raving about this little Canadian who was Pure Magic at the World Championship snowmobile races a few hundred miles north of our Wisconsin home. My not being a sled fan, his name escaped me until reading about a Formula Atlantic racer with Skiroule on his car. I confirmed his name with the classmate and started following Gilles at that point, then finally saw him in person at the 1977 Can-Am at Road America, driving what for all intents looked like a V8 snowmobile.

By 18, I'd already had maybe 30 media creds, and had watched frothing corner workers all the way through in their assuming I'd stolen it. In the summer of 1978, I covered several big-time races for a small startup rag in the States, and in September my Editor called and asked if I'd cover the two North American GPs. Problem was, all my monies from helmet and racecar painting had been spent kart racing. I mentioned this to my new, month-long girlfriend -- who attended her first-ever race with me a week earlier and was hooked -- and she insisted on giving me $400 for the trips. For 4,000 more reasons having nothing to do with money, we're still together 39 years on.

I loaded up my Dad's clapped-out, '72 Opel wagon -- in fifth-hand shape as everyone in the family had pre-crashed it -- but my lady was still finishing high school and her Dad would have never let her go anyway. I needed a partner and the only one who could come was an annoying older brother of a lifetime friend. So off we went, first to Watkins Glen and then over the border.

Arriving in Montreal, I learned nobody as young as me ever had a GP cred in Canada. I stuck the Media sticker on the Opel windshield and asked a track constructor if I could run a few laps to "find photo locations." It worked.

We ran four laps, and on the third I climbed the hairpin curb, probably making V12 sounds as I did. On the fourth lap we realized the paint hadn't quite dried, and we had infamously left tire scrubs on the curbing before anyone else -- GV included.

Gilles of course went on to history three days later. I probably cried as he did, but that weekend remains untouchable in 54 years of going to the races.

Bless you, Gilles and Gordon. Losing them a week apart will never quite leave me.

 

 

That last sentence .......

Good to know that you do have something left from that era that inspires your life...

 

Henri

Great stuff, I appreciate it. Were you able to camp there in 1978? I recall the early days there was a parking lot adjacent where RVs and such could stay.  Or did you stay downtown? And do you hold the CGV record for Opel wagons?

Thanks, Gents.

The Opel was within 0.05 of Gilles! (in days).

D, nah, that'd require planning and funding. We slept in the car on the streets, me in the passenger seat and my older and larger buddy in back. So unfair!

Henri, that decade may hold more memories for me than any other. So far as "lasting," that'd be the Missus. :-)

I nearly left racing after May 15. It was too much, and frankly downright weird that two powerful influences left on consecutive weekends. But thankfully, the powers of grief were not as great as the powers of horses. :-)

Thanks Again.

an excellent piece by peter windsor on gilles villeneuve

 

Some interesting stuff in this clip. I was unaware that Ferrari or the FIA weren't represented at the funeral. That's a bit unusual I would think.

According to the Donaldson biography Marco Piccinini and two other Ferrari representatives were at the funeral. There's no mention of anyone from the FIA.

Hey guys, big time G. Villeneuve fan here. Of course, unlike some of you here, I'm too young to have the privilege of having seen him race in real life. But that can't stop you from being a fan.
Been pondering on the idea of doing a big article on him but don't know where to start. But I guess if I let it linger long enough in the back of my head it'll come out one day 😉

I remember the first time I got to zolder like it was yesterday. (it's a 15min drive from where I live)

Since then I've watched clips, bought books, read online, etc...
Ending up with a massive (double) tattoo of him in the 312t4 Ferrari. The 1980 one with the no. 2 on it. Slightly drifting, but not too much 😁

I remember the first time I got to zolder like it was yesterday. (it's a 15min drive from where I live)

 

Well for me it's a +- 50 min drive I guess

 

been in Zolder countless times, as a child I came there frequently because my dad drove on that track as well.

The place seems to be often talked bad about, especially by English journalists like Christopher Hilton.

I actually love Zolder, it has a very nice atmosphere, from the paddock you are quick near the backstretch and quick near the main straight, on top of the pits builiding the view is fantastic and when you walk around the track are a lot of nice vintage viewing spots to find.

I guess people started hating it because Villeneuve had died there but I've been to several tracks all over Europe and I don't think Zolder is any worse as other tracks, on the contrary. It's a bit Belgium's Brands Hatch I guess.

I actually prefer walking around Zolder over the walking around at the new Nürburgring track (I found that place a bit dissapointing, especially considering what the Nordschleiffe is like).
I wish more international races would come back to the track, even IndyCar raced there.

Edited by William Hunt, 15 July 2017 - 23:36.

Hey guys, big time G. Villeneuve fan here. Of course, unlike some of you here, I'm too young to have the privilege of having seen him race in real life. But that can't stop you from being a fan.
Been pondering on the idea of doing a big article on him but don't know where to start. But I guess if I let it linger long enough in the back of my head it'll come out one day

I remember the first time I got to zolder like it was yesterday. (it's a 15min drive from where I live)

Since then I've watched clips, bought books, read online, etc...
Ending up with a massive (double) tattoo of him in the 312t4 Ferrari. The 1980 one with the no. 2 on it. Slightly drifting, but not too much

 

Hate to burst a bubble but a #2 has to be a 312T5....

But you've gone way further in your support for Gilles that many, including me. 

He was something else and I still regret he's gone. He's the last driver I cried for when I found out he died.

I loved the Windsor clip...

 

Henri

Today marks the 40th anniversary of Gilles' first Grand Prix

Hate to burst a bubble but a #2 has to be a 312T5....
But you've gone way further in your support for Gilles that many, including me.
He was something else and I still regret he's gone. He's the last driver I cried for when I found out he died.
I loved the Windsor clip...

Henri

Oops, think that's a Autocorrect error. Have been browsing the 312t4 somewhere last week on my phone. Should proofread more 😁

I actually love Zolder, it has a very nice atmosphere, from the paddock you are quick near the backstretch and quick near the main straight, on top of the pits builiding the view is fantastic and when you walk around the track are a lot of nice vintage viewing spots to find.

Yes zolder is great. Very demanding on engine and brakes.
I used to work for a Belgian raceteam and winning the 24 hours of zolder with them was a very special feeling.
But yes, it's very nostalgic. In a way it's like going back to the 80's when you get there.

Had the pleasure of seeing an, at the time, modern f1 car when Renault still held their Renault World series days there. Long ago. I think Fred was still Renault test driver instead of a two times World champ.

Edited by bruznic, 16 July 2017 - 10:14.

I used to work for a Belgian raceteam and winning the 24 hours of zolder with them was a very special feeling.
 

 

Which edition was that? My niece actually had a relationship with a driver who won the 24h of Zolder +-20 years ago, it was a BMW team, remember it well because I was there in the pits that year

My dad also has driven that race, even still in the days when it was still the 12 hours of Zolder

Edited by William Hunt, 16 July 2017 - 10:41.

Which edition was that? My niece actually had a relationship with a driver who won the 24h of Zolder +-20 years ago, it was a BMW team, remember it well because I was there in the pits that year
My dad also has driven that race, even still in the days when it was still the 12 hours of Zolder

2005. Selleslagh racing team, with that glorious corvette c5r

Today marks the 40th anniversary of Gilles' first Grand Prix

same day as my dads birthday..now its easy to remember

born for speed.....video on how gilles got into formula one and immediately there was hype about his speed

 

Great video!!! Thanks!

https://youtu.be/o_VctlvHthM