20 replies to this topic

[JayWay]

I was talking with another F1 friend just now and a question occured to me. Would Jax be in F1 if Gilles hadn't died?

Heres my logic, and im basing this on what I assume is the story, and I maybe wrong so correct me if I am.

After Gilles died, Jax mom sent him to live in Monaco, it was in Monaco (or atleast in Europe) where Jax met Craig Pollock. Pollock pretty much taught Jax everything he needed to get started, and guided him through his carrer, and was a very strong factor in Jax getting a ride with Williams. Im wondering, had Gilles not died, and Jax not gone to Monaco, and not met Pollock..Would JV even be in the racing profession today?

[rock]

Maybe Gilles himself would have sent Jax to Monaco or enrolled him in some racing school.

"If Gilles hadn't died," the only thing comes to my mind is Gilles vs. Senna. OH. Silence.

[kenny]

indeed a moment of Silence ..

gilles vs. Senna...

Can you imagine, in the same car...

One way or the other, I think they would have got along, they both raced!!!
Its different than with Prost...

[westendorf]

Sure Jac wjould be in F1! The main difference would be the colour of his car...I think it would be Red! Gilles was a hero in red and if he had lived how many WDC's would belong to him? I got to see him twice. ciao, GFW

[Bruce]

Jayway - actually, the whole Villeneuve family lived in Monaco before GV died - I am not sure if JV was attending the private school before GV's death though...

If GV had NOT died, there is a live possibility that JV would have been in F1 earlier... GV had entered F1 quite late by any standard (and in fact fibbed about his age to hide this) and near the time of his death was dealing with some businessmen who apparently wanted to start a "team Villeneuve" - this fell through. However the seed had been planted and GV was still interested in running his own team - and made a comment to this effect - "who knows, maybe my son Jacques can race in it for me...."

[jaxfan]

Aw you guys knock it off that's just plain teasing to want us to think of Senna & Gilles racing on the same track.
Shame on you!

[mtl'78]

Villeneuve=racing.

[whit]

I'd say no, Jacques wouldn't be in F1. To make it in F1 takes more than just driving talent. The driver has to be marketable, to have a "buzz" that attracts fans and sponsors. A large part of Jacques appeal is his fathers legacy, which unfortunately, is tied to how he died.

Of course a driver can buy his ride, but I doubt the Villeneuve family would have been able to afford that.


Consider Damon. There is no way he would have made it to F1 if not for his father being an English WDC.

[bschue]

JayWay: I would recommend you read the Gerald Donaldson book "Gilles Villeneuve - The Life of the Legendary Racing Driver". Its been a few months since I finished this book, but I'm pretty sure that JV did not meet Pollock until he went to a private school I think in Switzerland. Bruce is right though about the fact that JV was already in Monaco when his father died.

I think that JV had racing in his blood. His family was one of the first to start the trend of traveling to races in a motor home and basically living at the tracks. He would be in F1 now if his dad was alive. Like Bruce said probably on Team Villeneuve.

[rock]

I remember a article by Peter Windsor (if I got the spelling right) in F1 Racing magazine. He was a family friend of Gilles. He went to visit Gilles and there he saw young JV driving a small car around the garden. So, I think driving was always in his blood. And I think Gilles would have directed JV's carrier towards Ferrari.

[Williams]

Gerry Donaldon's book on GV is my favourite, bar none. I think I've read it, in whole or in parts, seven or eight times over the last couple of years. I had the privelege of meeting GD and getting him to sign my copy. It's a really great book, and generally acknowledged to be the definitive book on the life of Gilles. GD is Canadian , by the way

Since JV initially showed more of an interest in skiing before he got into racing, I think that he eventually would have gotten into it no matter what. I think it is just in the genes.

JV himself says that being his father's son certainly helped him racing, but that it also brought additional pressure, due to the high expectations and media demands.

[mtl'78]

JV, the uncle, Gilles' older brother was a fine racer in his day. He won the Snowmobile WDC, F. Atlantic, competed in Indycars for a few years and tried once or twice to qualify for the Canadian GP in a rented Arrows. Gilles once even tried to help his brother make the cut by allowing him to do a hot lap right under Gilles' gearbox, so he could follow his lines and slipstream in the straights. It didn't work. As I said earlier, Villeneuve=racing.

When Danni gives birth to the next Villeneuve we will have the thrid generation on the way.

[Jecko]

I remember reading somewhere that JV got into F1 pretty much by fluke. Apparently there was a race organized in Montreal (can't remember the class of cars but they were open wheeled) and the organizers wanted JV (Gilles brother) to race. However something got mixed up and they got JV jr. At the time JV jr. was racing in Japan and not exactly blowing the field away.

So JV jr. went to the race in Montreal instead of his uncle and won. The members of the Forsyth Racing (CART) were so impressed that they signed him on.

From there he went on to win a bunch of races(including the Indy 500) and the CART championship. From there he went to Williams. Some of this may not be all correct but that is waht I remember reading.

[jack and gilles]

Gotta agree with the majority of the posts here...JV would have found his way into F1 regardless, although the team is debatable! Remember, in 1996 when JV arrived, Ferrari were hiring two new drivers. all else being equal, I suspect having one with the Villeneuve name would have been appealing.

The timing of this thread is rather ironic as Imola will be Jack's 68th F1 start, Zolder in 1982 would have been Gilles' 68th as well.

RIP Gilles!

[Damop]

Jecko - JV raced for Team Green in CART, not Forsythe. Team Green had the Player's sponsorship at the time - I think that is where you are confused.

[JayWay]

"The timing of this thread is rather ironic as Imola will be Jack's 68th F1 start, Zolder in
1982 would have been Gilles' 68th as well."

Yay, another ironic fact leading into Imola that has to do with death. I for one will be quite relieved when this weekend is over. Thats just me.

[jack and gilles]

JayWay,

Amen! This weekend can't end soon enough as far as I am concerned.

[Jecko]

Thanks Damop,

I remember the car was blue due to the Player's sponsorship, but forgot it was Green's car.

[404KF2]

Related to this topic,

Do any of you GV fans out there have a set of the Gilles Villeneuve stamps printed by Canada Post in 1997?

They are awesome, even if you don't collect stamps, especially the uncut sheet. Great action images of him in Enzo's red machine...

[Jecko]

Yup,

I have two.

[JaqFan]

I think he would still be in F1...

Hey, would you look at that - there's someone called jaxfan .