Joseph Gilles Henri Villeneuve, better known as
Gilles Villeneuve (ʒil vilnœv; January 18, 1950 – May 8, 1982), was a Canadian racing driver. An enthusiast of cars and fast driving from an early age, he started his professional career in
snowmobileA snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
racing in his native province of
QuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. He moved into single seaters, winning the US and Canadian
Formula AtlanticFormula Atlantic is a specification of open wheel racing car developed in the 1970s. It was used in professional racing through the IMSA Atlantic Championship until 2009 and is currently primarily used in amateur racing through Sports Car Club of America Formula Atlantic.-History:The history of...
championships in 1976, before being offered a drive in
Formula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
with the McLaren team at the
1977 British Grand PrixThe 1977 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Silverstone on 16 July 1977. It was won by James Hunt driving a McLaren M26, and marked the debut of Canadian driver Gilles Villeneuve...
. He was taken on by reigning world champions Ferrari for the end of the season and from 1978 to his death in 1982 drove for the Italian team. He won six Grand Prix races in a short career at the highest level. In 1979, he finished second by four points in the championship to team-mate
Jody ScheckterJody David Scheckter is a South African former auto racing driver, the Formula One World Drivers Champion.-Career:Scheckter was born in East London, South Africa and educated at Selborne College.-Formula One:...
.
Villeneuve died in a 140 mph (225 km/h) crash with the
MarchMarch Engineering was a Formula One constructor and manufacturer of customer racing cars from the United Kingdom. Although only moderately successful in Grand Prix competition, March racing cars enjoyed much better achievement in other categories of competition including Formula Two, Formula Three,...
of
Jochen MassJochen Richard Mass is a former race car driver from Germany.He participated in 114 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on July 14, 1973 at the British Grand Prix...
during qualifying for the
1982 Belgian Grand PrixThe 1982 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Zolder on May 9, 1982. It was the fifth round of the 1982 Formula One season.-Qualifying:...
at
ZolderThe Circuit Zolder, also known as Circuit Terlaemen, is an undulating motorsport race track in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium.Built in 1963, Zolder hosted the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix on 10 separate occasions in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as the 1980 Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix. The F1 circus...
. The accident came less than two weeks after an intense argument with his team-mate,
Didier PironiDidier Joseph Louis Pironi was a racing driver from France. During his career he competed in 72 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, driving for Tyrrell , Ligier and Ferrari...
, over Pironi's move to pass Villeneuve at the preceding
San Marino Grand PrixThe 1982 San Marino Grand Prix was the fourth race of the 1982 Formula One World Championship. It was held on the weekend of April 23–25, 1982 at the Autodromo Dino Ferrari, Imola...
. At the time of his death, Villeneuve was extremely popular with fans and has since become an iconic figure in the history of the sport. His son,
Jacques VilleneuveJacques Joseph Charles Villeneuve, , is a Canadian musician and automobile racing driver. He is the son of the late Formula One driver Gilles Villeneuve, and is the namesake of his uncle...
, became Formula One world champion in 1997 and, to date, the only Canadian to win the Formula One World Championship.
Personal and early life
Villeneuve was born in
RichelieuRichelieu is a city in Rouville Regional County Municipality, in the province of Quebec, Canada. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 5,208...
, a small town in the largely
French-speakingFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
province of
QuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
in
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and grew up in
BerthiervilleBerthierville is a Canadian town located between Montreal and Trois-Rivières on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River in the province of Quebec. Berthierville is the seat of D'Autray Regional County Municipality, and is served by Autoroute 40, and is the junction of Routes 138 and 158...
. He married Joann Barthe in 1970, with whom he had two children, Jacques and Melanie. During his early career Villeneuve took his family on the road with him in a motorhome during the racing season, a habit which he continued to some extent during his Formula One career. He often claimed to have been born in 1952. By the time he got his break in Formula One, he was already 27 years old and took two years off his age to avoid being considered too old to make it at the highest level of motorsports.
Niki LaudaAndreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda is an Austrian former Formula One racing driver and three-time F1 World Champion. More recently an aviation entrepreneur, he has founded and run two airlines and was manager of the Jaguar Formula One racing team for two years.- Early years in racing :Born in Vienna,...
said of him, "He was the craziest devil I ever came across in Formula 1... The fact that, for all this, he was a sensitive and lovable character rather than an out-and-out hell-raiser made him such a unique human being".
His younger brother
JacquesJacques Villeneuve Sr. also known as Jacquo or Uncle Jacques is a Canadian racer. He is the younger brother of the late Gilles Villeneuve, and uncle to Jacques Villeneuve . He was born in the small town of Berthierville, Quebec, Canada. He is now frequently known as Uncle Jacques because of the...
also had a successful racing career in Formula Atlantic, Can Am and CART. Gilles' son, also named
JacquesJacques Joseph Charles Villeneuve, , is a Canadian musician and automobile racing driver. He is the son of the late Formula One driver Gilles Villeneuve, and is the namesake of his uncle...
, won the
Indianapolis 500The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
and
CARTChamp Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
championships in 1995 and became Formula One World Champion in 1997.
Early career
Villeneuve started competitive driving in local drag-racing events, entering his road car, a modified 1967
Ford MustangThe Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...
. He was soon bored by this and entered the Jim Russell Racing School at Le Circuit Mont Tremblant to gain a racing licence. He then had a very successful season in Quebec regional
Formula FordFormula Ford is a single seater, open wheel class in motorsport which exists in some form in many countries around the world. It is an entry-level series to motor racing....
, running his own two-year-old car and winning seven of the ten races he entered. The next year he progressed to
Formula AtlanticFormula Atlantic is a specification of open wheel racing car developed in the 1970s. It was used in professional racing through the IMSA Atlantic Championship until 2009 and is currently primarily used in amateur racing through Sports Car Club of America Formula Atlantic.-History:The history of...
, competing there for four years, running his own car again for one of those seasons. He won his first Atlantic race in 1975 at Gimli Motosport Park in heavy rain. In 1976, teamed with Chris Harrison's Ecurie Canada and factory March race engineer Ray Wardell, he dominated the season by winning all but one of the races and taking the US and Canadian titles. He won the Canadian championship again in 1977.
Money was very tight in Villeneuve's early career. He was a professional racing driver from his late teens, with no other income. In the first few years the bulk of his income actually came from
snowmobileA snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
racing, where he was extremely successful. He could demand appearance money as well as race money, especially after winning the 1974
World Championship Snowmobile DerbyThe World Championship Snowmobile Derby is the World championship snowmobile race. It is held at the Eagle River Derby Track along U.S. Route 45 in Eagle River, Wisconsin on the third weekend in January. Eagle River is known as the "Snowmobile Capital of the World" because it hosts the Derby...
. His second season in Formula Atlantic was part-sponsored by his snowmobile manufacturer, Skiroule. He credited some of his success to his snowmobiling days: "Every winter, you would reckon on three or four big spills — and I'm talking about being thrown on to the ice at 100 miles per hour. Those things used to slide a lot, which taught me a great deal about control. And the visibility was
terrible! Unless you were leading, you could see nothing, with all the snow blowing about. Good for the reactions — and it stopped me having any worries about racing in the rain."
Formula One career
After Villeneuve impressed
James HuntJames Simon Wallis Hunt was a British racing driver from England who won the Formula One World Championship in . Hunt's often action packed exploits on track earned him the nickname "Hunt the Shunt." After retiring from driving, Hunt became a media commentator and businessman...
by beating him and several other Grand Prix stars in a non-championship
Formula AtlanticFormula Atlantic is a specification of open wheel racing car developed in the 1970s. It was used in professional racing through the IMSA Atlantic Championship until 2009 and is currently primarily used in amateur racing through Sports Car Club of America Formula Atlantic.-History:The history of...
race at
Trois-RivièresThe Circuit Trois-Rivières is a street circuit located in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada. The circuit has hosted American Le Mans Series, Grand-Am Rolex Series, Trans-Am series and Formula Atlantic races in the past...
in 1976, Hunt's McLaren team offered Villeneuve a Formula One deal for up to five races in a third car during the
1977 seasonThe 1977 Formula One season included the 28th FIA Formula One World Championship season, which commenced on January 9, 1977, and ended on October 23 after seventeen races.-Season summary:...
. Villeneuve made his debut at the
1977 British Grand PrixThe 1977 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Silverstone on 16 July 1977. It was won by James Hunt driving a McLaren M26, and marked the debut of Canadian driver Gilles Villeneuve...
, where he qualified 9th in McLaren's old
M23The McLaren M23 was a Formula One racing car designed by Gordon Coppuck, with input from John Barnard, and built by the McLaren team. It was a development of the McLaren M16 Indianapolis 500 car. A Ford Cosworth DFV engine was used, which was prepared by specialist tuning company Nicholson Engines...
, splitting the regular drivers Hunt and
Jochen MassJochen Richard Mass is a former race car driver from Germany.He participated in 114 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on July 14, 1973 at the British Grand Prix...
who were driving newer
M26sThe McLaren M26 was a Formula One racing car designed by Gordon Coppuck for the McLaren team, to replace the aging McLaren M23 model. The car was designed to be a lighter and lower car than its predecessor, with a smaller frontal area and narrower monocoque...
. In the race he set fifth fastest lap and finished 11th after being delayed for two laps by a faulty temperature gauge. The British press coverage of Villeneuve's performance was generally complimentary, including John Blunsden's comment in
The TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
that "Anyone seeking a future World Champion need look no further than this quietly assured young man."
Despite this, shortly after the British race McLaren's experienced team manager
Teddy MayerEdward Everett "Teddy" Mayer was an American motor racing entrepreneur who was successful in several categories of racing, including Formula One and IndyCars....
decided not to continue with Villeneuve for the following year. His explanation was that Villeneuve "was looking as though he might be a bit expensive" and that
Patrick TambayPatrick Daniel Tambay is a French former racing driver. He competed in 123 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, winning twice, securing 5 pole positions and scoring a total of 103 Championship points...
, the team's eventual choice for 1978, was showing similar promise. Villeneuve was left with no solid options for 1978, although Canadian Walter Wolf, for whom Villeneuve had driven in Can-Am racing, considered giving him a drive at
Wolf RacingWalter Wolf Racing was a Formula One constructor from 1977 to 1980, notable for winning the very first race the team entered.-1975-77:In 1975, the Slovenian-Austrian-Canadian businessman Walter Wolf had started to appear at many of the F1 races during the season. A year later, he bought 60% of...
and also recommended him to the
Ferrari team'sScuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
founder,
Enzo FerrariEnzo Anselmo Ferrari Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was an Italian race car driver and entrepreneur, the founder of the Scuderia Ferrari Grand Prix motor racing team, and subsequently of the Ferrari car manufacturer...
. Rumours circulated that Villeneuve was one of several drivers in whom the Italian team was interested, and in August 1977 he flew to Italy to meet Ferrari, who was immediately reminded of the pre-war
European championThe European Drivers' Championship was an annual competition in auto racing that existed prior to the establishment of the Formula One world championship in 1950...
Tazio NuvolariTazio Giorgio Nuvolari was an Italian motorcycle and racecar driver, known as Il Mantovano Volante or Nivola. He was the 1932 European Champion in Grand Prix motor racing...
: "When they presented me with this 'piccolo canadese', this minuscule bundle of nerves, I immediately recognised in him the physique of Nuvolari and said to myself, let's give him a try." Ferrari was satisfied with Villeneuve's promise after a session at Ferrari's
FioranoThe Fiorano Circuit is a private racetrack owned by Ferrari for development and testing purposes. It is located near the Italian town of Maranello....
test track, despite the Canadian making many mistakes and setting relatively slow times, and Villeneuve signed to drive for Ferrari in the last two races of the 1977 season and the 1978 season. Villeneuve later remarked that: "If someone said to me that you can have three wishes, my first would have been to get into racing, my second to be in Formula 1, my third to drive for Ferrari..."
Villeneuve's arrival was one factor that prompted Ferrari driver
Niki LaudaAndreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda is an Austrian former Formula One racing driver and three-time F1 World Champion. More recently an aviation entrepreneur, he has founded and run two airlines and was manager of the Jaguar Formula One racing team for two years.- Early years in racing :Born in Vienna,...
to quit the team at the
1977 Canadian Grand PrixThe 1977 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 9 October 1977 at Mosport Park.-Report:The field arrived in Canada without Niki Lauda who, having clinched the championship at the previous race, and already announced his intention to drive for Brabham the following year, abruptly quit...
at Mosport having already clinched his second championship with the Italian team. Villeneuve retired from the race after sliding off the track on another competitor's oil. He also raced in the
Japanese Grand PrixThe 1977 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 23 October 1977 at Fuji.-Report:Mario Andretti and James Hunt continued their late-season battle, with the American pipping Hunt to the pole, with John Watson heading the second row...
, but retired on lap five when he tried to outbrake the
Tyrrell P34The Tyrrell P34 , otherwise known as the "six-wheeler", was a Formula One race car designed by Derek Gardner, Tyrrell's chief designer....
of
Ronnie PetersonBengt Ronnie Peterson was a Swedish racing driver. He was a two-time runner-up in the FIA Formula One World Drivers' Championship.Peterson began his motor racing career in kart racing, traditionally the discipline where the majority of race drivers begin their careers in open-wheel racing...
. The pair banged wheels causing Villeneuve's Ferrari to became airborne. It landed on a group of spectators watching the race from a prohibited area, killing one spectator and a
race marshalMotorsport marshals contribute to more enjoyable, more efficient, and safer motor racing. They are responsible for the safety of competitors and are stationed at various points of danger around race tracks to assist them in case of any collisions, accidents or track problems...
and injuring ten people. After an investigation into the incident no blame was apportioned and, although he was "terribly sad" at the deaths, Villeneuve did not feel responsible for them.
The
1978 seasonThe 1978 Formula One season included the 29th FIA Formula One World Championship which commenced on January 15, 1978, and ended on October 8 after sixteen races. Mario Andretti was the season Champion and the last American to date to win a Formula One race...
saw a succession of retirements for Villeneuve, often after problems with the new
MichelinMichelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
radial tyres. Early in the season, he started on the front row at the
United States Grand Prix WestThe 1978 United States Grand Prix West was a Formula One race held on April 2, 1978 at Long Beach, California.__FORCETOC__-Summary:Carlos Reutemann took over at the halfway mark from Ferrari teammate Gilles Villeneuve, when the Canadian crashed out of the lead, and won by eleven seconds...
, but crashed out of the lead on lap 39. Despite calls in the Italian press for him to be replaced, Ferrari persisted with him. Towards the end of the season, Villeneuve's results improved. He finished second on the road at the
Italian Grand PrixThe 1978 Italian Grand Prix was the 14th race of the 1978 Formula One season. It was held on 10 September 1978 at Monza. It was marred by the death of Ronnie Peterson following an accident at the start of the race....
, although he was penalised a minute for jumping the start, and ran second at the
United States Grand PrixThe 1978 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 1, 1978 at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course in Watkins Glen, New York...
before his engine failed. Finally at the season-ending
Canadian Grand PrixThe 1978 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 8 October 1978 at Montreal.- Pre-Race :Both championships were already sown up , so this, the final round, was a dead rubber in the 1978 title chase...
at Circuit Île Notre-Dame (a circuit that was eventually named after him) Villeneuve scored his first Grand Prix win after
Jean-Pierre JarierJean-Pierre Jacques Jarier is a French Grand Prix racing driver, now retired. He was born at Charenton-le-Pont, near Paris, and is regarded as one of the finest drivers never to win a Grand Prix....
's Lotus stopped with engine trouble. As of 2010, he is the only Canadian to win his home race.
Villeneuve was joined by
Jody ScheckterJody David Scheckter is a South African former auto racing driver, the Formula One World Drivers Champion.-Career:Scheckter was born in East London, South Africa and educated at Selborne College.-Formula One:...
in 1979 after
Carlos ReutemannCarlos Alberto Reutemann , nicknamed "Lole", is an Argentine former racing driver , and later a politician in his native province of Santa Fe, for the Justicialist Party....
moved to
LotusTeam Lotus was the motorsport sister company of English sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The team ran cars in many motorsport series including Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, IndyCar and sports car racing...
. Villeneuve won three races during the year. The
1979 French Grand PrixThe 1979 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 1 July 1979 at Dijon.It marked the first victory of a turbocharged car in Formula One, with Renault overcoming the reliability problems that had initially plagued their car...
is remembered for Villeneuve's wheel-banging duel with
René ArnouxRené Alexandre Arnoux is a retired French racing driver who is a veteran of 12 Formula One seasons...
in the last laps of the race. Arnoux passed Villeneuve for second place with three laps to go, but Villeneuve re-passed him on the next lap. On the final lap Arnoux attempted to pass Villeneuve again, and the pair ran side-by-side through the first few corners of the lap, making contact several times. Arnoux took the position but Villeneuve attempted an outside pass one corner later. The cars bumped hard, Villeneuve slid wide but then passed Arnoux on the inside at a hairpin turn and held him off for the last half of the lap to secure second place. Villeneuve commented afterwards, "I tell you, that was really fun! I thought for sure we were going to get on our heads, you know, because when you start interlocking wheels it's very easy for one car to climb over another." At the
Dutch Grand PrixThe 1979 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 26 August 1979 at Zandvoort.-Summary:René Arnoux put his Renault on pole position but the slow start of the turbocharged car allowed Alan Jones to break free. Arnoux and Clay Regazzoni collided, eliminating the Williams on the spot while the...
a slow puncture collapsed Villeneuve's left rear tyre and put him off the track. He returned to the circuit and limped back to the pits on three wheels, losing the damaged wheel on the way. On his return to the pits Villeneuve insisted that the team replace the missing wheel, and had to be persuaded that the car was beyond repair. Villeneuve could have won the World Championship by beating Scheckter at the
Italian Grand PrixThe 1979 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 9 September 1979 at Monza.Monza was revamped for 1979, including a re-surfaced track; and run-off areas were added to the Curva Grande and the Lesmo Curves....
, but chose to follow team orders and finish behind him, ending his own championship challenge. The pair finished first and second in the championship, with Scheckter beating Villeneuve by just four points. During the extremely wet Friday practice session for the season-ending
United States Grand PrixThe 1979 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 7, 1979 at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course in Watkins Glen, New York...
, Villeneuve set a time variously reported to be either 9 or 11 seconds faster than any other driver. His team-mate Jody Scheckter, who was second fastest, recalled that "I scared myself rigid that day. I thought I had to be quickest. Then I saw Gilles's time and — I still don't really understand how it was possible. Eleven seconds!"
The
1980 seasonThe 1980 Formula One season was the 31st season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1980 World Championship of Drivers and the 1980 International Cup for F1 Constructors which were contested concurrently from January 13 to October 5 over a fourteen race series...
was a complete disaster for Ferrari. Villeneuve had been considered favourite for the drivers championship by UK bookmakers, but only scored six points in the whole campaign in the
312T5The Ferrari 312T was a Ferrari Formula One car design, based on the 312B3 from 1974. In various versions, it was used from 1975 until 1980. It was designed by Mauro Forghieri for the 1975 season and was an uncomplicated and clean design, that responded to mechanical upgrades.The 312T series won 27...
which had only partial
ground effectsGround effect is term applied to a series of aerodynamic effects used in car design, which has been exploited to create downforce, particularly in racing cars. This has been the successor to the earlier dominant aerodynamic theory of streamlining...
. Scheckter scored only two points and retired at the end of the season.
For the
1981 seasonThe 1981 Formula One season included the 32nd FIA Formula One World Championship season, which commenced on March 15, 1981, and ended on October 17 after fifteen races. Nelson Piquet won the Drivers' Championship, claiming the first of his three Formula One titles...
, Ferrari introduced their first turbo engined F1 car, the
126CThe Ferrari 126C was the car with which Ferrari raced in the 1981 Formula One season. The team's first attempt at a turbo engined Formula 1 car, it was designed by Mauro Forghieri and Harvey Postlethwaite and used between the 1981 and 1984 seasons....
, which produced tremendous power but was let down by its poor handling. Villeneuve was partnered with
Didier PironiDidier Joseph Louis Pironi was a racing driver from France. During his career he competed in 72 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, driving for Tyrrell , Ligier and Ferrari...
who noted that Villeneuve "had a little family [at Ferrari] but he made me welcome and made me feel at home overnight ... [He] treated me as an equal in every way." Villeneuve won two races during the season. At the
Spanish Grand PrixThe 1981 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on June 21, 1981, at the Circuito Permanente Del Jarama, Jarama, Spain.-Summary:...
Villeneuve kept five quicker cars behind him for most of the race using the superior straight-line speed of his car. After an hour and 46 minutes of racing Villeneuve led second-placed
Jacques LaffiteJacques-Henri Laffite is a French former racing driver who competed in Formula One from to . He achieved six grand prix wins, all while driving for the Ligier team. He is now a TV commentator on French television TF1....
by only 0.22 seconds. Fifth-placed
Elio de AngelisElio de Angelis was an Italian racing driver who participated in Formula One between and , racing for the Shadow, Lotus and Brabham teams. He was killed during testing at the Paul Ricard circuit at Le Castellet in 1986...
was only just over a second further back.
Harvey PostlethwaiteHarvey Postlethwaite was a British engineer and Technical Director of several Formula One teams during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He died of a heart attack in Spain while supervising the testing of the abortive Honda F1 project...
, designer of the 126C, later commented "That car...had literally one quarter of the downforce that, say Williams or Brabham had. It had a power advantage over the Cosworths for sure, but it also had massive throttle lag at that time. In terms of sheer ability I think Gilles was on a different plane to the other drivers. To win those races, the 1981 GPs at Monaco and Jarama — on tight circuits — was quite out of this world. I
know how bad that car was." At the
1981 Canadian Grand PrixThe 1981 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on September 27, 1981, at Montreal. Jacques Laffite won the race driving for Ligier. It would prove to be Ligier's last race win for fifteen years, until the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix...
Villeneuve damaged the front wing of his Ferrari and drove for most of the race in heavy rain with the wing obscuring his view ahead. There was a risk of being black flagged but eventually the wing became detached and Villeneuve drove on to finish third with the nose section of his car missing.
The first few races of the
1982 seasonThe 1982 Formula One season was the 33rd FIA Formula One World Championship season. It commenced on January 23, 1982, and ended on September 25 after sixteen races. The World Drivers' Championship was won by Williams driver Keke Rosberg. Rosberg was the first driver since Mike Hawthorn in the 1958...
were promising. Villeneuve led in Brazil in the new 126/C2, before spinning into retirement, and finished third at the
United States Grand Prix WestThe 1982 United States Grand Prix West was a Formula One race held on April 4, 1982 at the temporary street circuit at Long Beach, California.__FORCETOC__-Summary:...
although he was later disqualified for a technical infringement. The Ferraris were handed an unexpected advantage at the
San Marino Grand PrixThe 1982 San Marino Grand Prix was the fourth race of the 1982 Formula One World Championship. It was held on the weekend of April 23–25, 1982 at the Autodromo Dino Ferrari, Imola...
as an escalation of the
FISA-FOCA warThe FISA–FOCA war was a political battle contested throughout the early 1980s by the two representative organizations in Formula One motor racing, the Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile and the Formula One Constructors Association...
saw the FOCA teams boycott the race, effectively leaving Renault as Ferrari's only serious opposition. With Renault driver Prost retiring from fourth place on lap 7 followed by his team-mate Arnoux on the 44th lap Ferrari seemed to have the win guaranteed. In order to conserve fuel and ensure the cars finished the Ferrari team ordered both drivers to slow down. Villeneuve believed that the order also meant that the drivers were to maintain position but Pironi passed Villeneuve. A few laps later Villeneuve re-passed Pironi and slowed down again, believing that Pironi was simply trying to entertain the Italian crowd. On the last lap Pironi passed and aggressively chopped across the front of Villeneuve and took the win. Villeneuve was irate as he believed that Pironi had disobeyed the order to hold position. Meanwhile Pironi claimed that he had done nothing wrong as the team had only ordered the cars to slow down, not maintain position. Villeneuve stated after the race "I think it is well known that if I want someone to stay behind me and I am faster, then he stays behind me." Feeling betrayed and angry Villeneuve vowed never to speak to Pironi again.
In 2007, former Marlboro marketer John Hogan disputed the claim that Pironi had gone back on a prior arrangement with Villeneuve. He said: "Neither of them would ever have agreed to what effectively was throwing a race. I think Gilles was stunned somebody had out-driven him and that it just caught him so much by surprise." Hogan's company sponsored Pironi while he was at Ferrari. A comparison of the lap times of the two drivers showed that Villeneuve lapped far slower when he was in the lead, suggesting that he had indeed been trying to save fuel.
Death
On May 8, 1982, Villeneuve died after an accident during the final qualifying session for the
Belgian Grand PrixThe 1982 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Zolder on May 9, 1982. It was the fifth round of the 1982 Formula One season.-Qualifying:...
at
ZolderThe Circuit Zolder, also known as Circuit Terlaemen, is an undulating motorsport race track in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium.Built in 1963, Zolder hosted the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix on 10 separate occasions in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as the 1980 Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix. The F1 circus...
. At the time of the crash, Pironi had set a time 0.1s faster than Villeneuve for sixth place. Villeneuve was using his final set of qualifying tyres, which were probably already past their best, and many writers say that he was attempting to improve his time on his final lap. Some suggest that he was specifically aiming to beat Pironi. However, Villeneuve's biographer Gerald Donaldson quotes Ferrari race engineer
Mauro ForghieriMauro Forghieri is an Italian Formula One car designer.-Early life and Ferrari:Forghieri was born in Modena, the only child of Reclus and Afra Forghieri. His father, a turner, did war work during World War II for the Ansaldo mechanical workshops of Naples...
as saying that the Canadian, although pressing on in his usual fashion, was returning to the pits when the accident occurred. If so, he would not have set a time on that lap.
With eight minutes of the session left, Villeneuve came over the rise after the first chicane and caught
Jochen MassJochen Richard Mass is a former race car driver from Germany.He participated in 114 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on July 14, 1973 at the British Grand Prix...
travelling much more slowly through the left-handed bend before the
Terlamenbocht corner. Mass saw Villeneuve approaching at high speed and moved to the right to let him through on the racing line. At the same instant Villeneuve also moved right to pass the slower car. The Ferrari hit the back of Mass' car and was launched into the air at a speed estimated at 200–225 km/h (120–140 mph). It was airborne for more than 100 m before nosediving into the ground and disintegrating as it somersaulted along the edge of the track. Villeneuve, still strapped to his seat, but without his helmet, was thrown a further 50 m from the wreckage into the catch fencing on the outside edge of the
Terlamenbocht corner.
Several drivers stopped and rushed to the scene.
John WatsonJohn Marshall "Wattie" Watson MBE is a British former racing driver from Northern Ireland. He competed in Formula One, winning five Grands Prix and also in the World Sportscar Championship...
and
Derek WarwickDerek Stanley Arthur Warwick is a British former racing driver from England. He raced for many years in Formula One, but never won a Grand Prix. During the early 1980s he was thought more likely to achieve World Championship success than his contemporary Nigel Mansell, but a series of wrong...
pulled Villeneuve, his face blue, from the
catch fence. The first doctor arrived within 35 seconds to find that Villeneuve was not breathing, although his pulse continued; he was intubated and ventilated before being transferred to the circuit medical centre and then by helicopter to University St Raphael Hospital where a fatal
fracture of the neckA cervical fracture is commonly called a broken neck. There are seven cervical vertebrae in the human neck, and the fracture of any can be catastrophic. The most common causes are traffic accidents or diving into shallow water...
was diagnosed. Villeneuve was kept alive on
life supportLife support, in medicine is a broad term that applies to any therapy used to sustain a patient's life while they are critically ill or injured. There are many therapies and techniques that may be used by clinicians to achieve the goal of sustaining life...
while his wife travelled to the hospital and the doctors consulted with specialists worldwide. He died at 9:12 that evening.
Legacy
At the funeral in Berthierville former team-mate Jody Scheckter delivered a simple eulogy: "I will miss Gilles for two reasons. First, he was the fastest driver in the history of motor racing. Second, he was the most genuine man I have ever known. But he has not gone. The memory of what he has done, what he achieved, will always be there."
Villeneuve is still remembered at Grand Prix races, especially those in Italy. At the
Autodromo Enzo e Dino FerrariThe Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari is an auto racing circuit near the Italian town of Imola, east of Bologna and east of the Ferrari factory in Maranello....
, the venue of the
San Marino Grand PrixThe San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One championship race which was run at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in the town of Imola, near the Apennine mountains in Italy, between 1981 and 2006...
, a corner was named after him and a Canadian flag is painted on the third slot on the starting grid, from which he started his last race. There is also a bronze bust of him at the entrance to the Ferrari test track at Fiorano. At Zolder the corner where Villeneuve died has been turned into a
chicaneA chicane is an artificial feature creating extra turns in a road, used in motor racing and on city streets to slow cars to lower speeds.- Motor Racing :...
and named after him.
The racetrack on
Île Notre-DameÎle Notre-Dame is an artificial island built in 10 months from 15 million tons of rock excavated for the Montreal Metro in 1965. It was created for Expo 67 to celebrate Canada's centennial. The island is part of the city of Montreal and forms part of the Hochelaga Archipelago...
,
MontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, host to the Formula One
Canadian Grand PrixThe Canadian Grand Prix , abbreviated as gpc, is an annual auto race held in Canada starting in 1961. It has been part of the Formula One World Championship since 1967...
and NASCAR Nationwide Series, was named
Circuit Gilles VilleneuveThe Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a motor racing circuit, venue for the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series....
in his honour at the Canadian Grand Prix of 1982. His homeland has continued to honour him: In Berthierville a museum was opened in 1992 and a lifelike statue stands in a nearby park which was also named in his honour. Villeneuve was inducted into the
Canadian Motorsport Hall of FameThe Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame was founded in 1993 by Lee Abrahamson and Gary Magwood assisted by Len Coates to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of the Canadian motorsport community....
at their inaugural induction ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel,
TorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
,
OntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
on August 19, 1993. In June 1997 Canada also issued a
postage stamp in his honour.
There is still a huge demand for Villeneuve memorabilia at the race-track shops and several books have been written about him. The number 27, the number of his Ferrari in 1981 and 1982, is still closely associated with him by fans.
Jean AlesiJean Alesi is a French racing driver of Italian origin. His Formula One career included spells at Tyrrell, Benetton, Sauber, Prost, Jordan and most notably Ferrari where he proved very popular among the tifosi...
whose aggression and speed in the wet were compared to Villeneuve's also used the number at Ferrari. Villeneuve's son, Jacques, drove the #27 during his 1995
Champ CarChamp Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
and
Indianapolis 500The 79th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 28, 1995. Sanctioned by USAC, it was part of the 1995 CART Indycar season. Jacques Villenueve won in his second start. After dominating the 1994 race and the 1994 IndyCar season, Marlboro Team Penske failed to...
winning season with
Barry GreenAndretti Autosport is an auto racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights, Star Mazda Championship, and U.S. F2000 National Championship.-Current IndyCar Drivers and Cars:*7 Danica Patrick, GoDaddy.com*26 Marco Andretti...
and has also used the number for occasional drives in
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
and the
Speedcar SeriesThe Speedcar Series Championship was a stock car racing series that was active from January 2008 to June 2009 across two championship seasons. Races were held across several countries, spanning the Middle East and Asia. It featured up to 24 drivers competing in identical V8 620 hp stock cars,...
. A film based on the biography by Gerald Donaldson was announced in 2005, intended for release in 2007, but as of 2010 has not emerged.
A museum dedicated to him was constructed in Berthierville, his hometown.
In popular culture
The popular
Belgian comicsBelgian comics are a distinct subgroup in the comics history, and played a major role in the development of European comics, alongside France with whom they share a long common history...
series
Michel VaillantMichel Vaillant is the title of a Belgian comics series created in 1957 by French cartoonist Jean Graton and published originally by Le Lombard. Later, Graton published the albums by himself when he founded Graton éditeur in 1982...
by
Jean GratonJean Graton is a comic book author and cartoonist of French nationality. Graton created the famous character Michel Vaillant and the eponymous series in 1957.-Biography:...
is set in the world of motor racing and, although largely fictional, often includes real-life figures including drivers, officials and journalists. Villeneuve appears in a number of stories, and in
Steve Warson contre Michel Vaillant (
fr: "Steve Warson versus Michel Vaillant") becomes the 1980 World Champion (though in the 1981 season, covered in
Rififi en F1 ("F1 in Chaos"), Graton acknowledges Alan Jones as the real Champion).
Helmet
Villeneuve's helmet carried a stylised 'V' in red on either side — an effect he devised with his wife Joann. The base colour was black. His son,
JacquesJacques Joseph Charles Villeneuve, , is a Canadian musician and automobile racing driver. He is the son of the late Formula One driver Gilles Villeneuve, and is the namesake of his uncle...
, uses the same basic design, but like his contemporary,
Christian FittipaldiChristian Fittipaldi is a Brazilian racing driver who has competed in various forms of motorsport including Formula One, Champ Car and NASCAR...
, he has changed the colours. British driver
Perry McCarthy-Career:Born in Billericay, Essex, McCarthy grew up to work for his father's company servicing North Sea oil rigs. Unlike most Formula One drivers, McCarthy did not start racing in karts...
also used this design and color scheme on his helmet, but with the design in reverse.
Complete Formula One World Championship results
(Races in
bold indicate pole position; races in
italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year |
Entrant |
Chassis |
Engine |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
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WDC |
Pts. |
| 1977 The 1977 Formula One season included the 28th FIA Formula One World Championship season, which commenced on January 9, 1977, and ended on October 23 after seventeen races.-Season summary:...
|
Marlboro Team McLaren |
McLaren M23 The McLaren M23 was a Formula One racing car designed by Gordon Coppuck, with input from John Barnard, and built by the McLaren team. It was a development of the McLaren M16 Indianapolis 500 car. A Ford Cosworth DFV engine was used, which was prepared by specialist tuning company Nicholson Engines...
|
Cosworth Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries...
V8 |
ARG The 1977 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez, Argentina on January 9, 1977.-Report:The 1977 season started in Argentina, and it was reigning world champion James Hunt who started off his title defence with pole position in his McLaren...
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BRA The 1977 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Interlagos on January 23, 1977.-Report:James Hunt took pole again with Carlos Reutemann second and Mario Andretti third on the grid. Home hero Carlos Pace took the lead at the start, with Hunt dropping behind Reutemann as well but...
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RSAThe 1977 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Kyalami on 5 March 1977. The race is principally remembered for the fatal accident that claimed the lives of race marshal Frederick Jansen van Vuuren and driver Tom Pryce...
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USW The 1977 United States Grand Prix West was a Formula One race held on April 3, 1977 in Long Beach, California.__FORCETOC__- Summary :An already tragic Formula One season received exactly what it needed to chase away the despair when the brilliant Mario Andretti became the first American to win a...
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ESP The 1977 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Jarama on May 8, 1977.-Report:Mario Andretti continued his recent form with pole position and Jacques Laffite's Ligier springing a surprise, beating Niki Lauda to second, however Lauda was unable to take part in the race due to a...
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MON The 1977 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monaco on May 22, 1977.-Report:John Watson took his first career pole for Brabham with Jody Scheckter also on the front row and Carlos Reutemann third. It was Scheckter who got the best start to beat Watson to the first corner, with...
|
BEL -Report:In qualifying Mario Andretti took a comfortable pole position with John Watson just beating the second Lotus of Gunnar Nilsson to second. The race was wet due to rain earlier in the day, and Watson took the lead at the first corner, but later in the first lap, Andretti ran into the back to...
|
SWE The 1977 Swedish Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at the Scandinavian Raceway on 19 June 1977.-Report:The Swedish race was full of anticipation after Gunnar Nilsson's win last time out, but once again in qualifying, it was his teammate Mario Andretti leading the way from John Watson, with...
|
FRA The 1977 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Dijon on 3 July 1977.-Report:Once again it was Mario Andretti on pole with James Hunt second and Gunnar Nilsson third on the grid. Hunt got the best start and led into the first corner from John Watson and Jacques Laffite, with Andretti...
|
GBR The 1977 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Silverstone on 16 July 1977. It was won by James Hunt driving a McLaren M26, and marked the debut of Canadian driver Gilles Villeneuve...
11 |
GER The 1977 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Hockenheimring on July 31, 1977. After Niki Lauda's near-fatal accident at the dangerous Nürburgring in 1976, the German Grand Prix was moved to and held every year except for 1 at Hockenheim until 2007, and this was the second year the race...
|
AUT The 1977 Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at the Österreichring on August 14, 1977. It was the tenth Austrian Grand Prix since the race was first held in 1963. It was held over 54 laps of the six kilometre venue for a race distance of 320 kilometres...
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NED The 1977 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Circuit Zandvoort on 28 August 1977.-Report:In qualifying, Mario Andretti took his fifth pole of the season with Jacques Laffite alongside on the front row, and James Hunt third...
|
ITA The 1977 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Monza on September 11, 1977.-Report:The fact that it was Ferrari's home race did not deter James Hunt who took pole, whereas Carlos Reutemann cheered the home fans by starting second in front of Jody Scheckter...
|
USA The 1977 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 2, 1977 at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course in Watkins Glen, New York...
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NC |
0 |
| Scuderia Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
|
Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
312T2The Ferrari 312T was a Ferrari Formula One car design, based on the 312B3 from 1974. In various versions, it was used from 1975 until 1980. It was designed by Mauro Forghieri for the 1975 season and was an uncomplicated and clean design, that responded to mechanical upgrades.The 312T series won 27...
|
Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
Flat-12A flat-12 is an internal combustion engine in a flat configuration, having 12 cylinders.The flat-12 is wider than a V12...
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CAN The 1977 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 9 October 1977 at Mosport Park.-Report:The field arrived in Canada without Niki Lauda who, having clinched the championship at the previous race, and already announced his intention to drive for Brabham the following year, abruptly quit...
12 |
JPN The 1977 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 23 October 1977 at Fuji.-Report:Mario Andretti and James Hunt continued their late-season battle, with the American pipping Hunt to the pole, with John Watson heading the second row...
Ret |
| 1978 The 1978 Formula One season included the 29th FIA Formula One World Championship which commenced on January 15, 1978, and ended on October 8 after sixteen races. Mario Andretti was the season Champion and the last American to date to win a Formula One race...
|
Scuderia Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
|
Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
312T2The Ferrari 312T was a Ferrari Formula One car design, based on the 312B3 from 1974. In various versions, it was used from 1975 until 1980. It was designed by Mauro Forghieri for the 1975 season and was an uncomplicated and clean design, that responded to mechanical upgrades.The 312T series won 27...
|
Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
Flat-12A flat-12 is an internal combustion engine in a flat configuration, having 12 cylinders.The flat-12 is wider than a V12...
|
ARG The 1978 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 15 January 1978 at Buenos Aires.-Report:Mario Andretti took pole in his Lotus, with Carlos Reutemann's Ferrari joining him on the front row and Ronnie Peterson in the other Lotus third on the grid...
8 |
BRA The 1978 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 29 January 1978 at Jacarepagua. The race was won by Argentine driver Carlos Reutemann driving a Ferrari 312T2 in a flag-to-flag performance. The win also represented the first win for tyre manufacturer Michelin...
Ret |
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9th |
17 |
| Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
312T3The Ferrari 312T was a Ferrari Formula One car design, based on the 312B3 from 1974. In various versions, it was used from 1975 until 1980. It was designed by Mauro Forghieri for the 1975 season and was an uncomplicated and clean design, that responded to mechanical upgrades.The 312T series won 27...
|
Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
Flat-12A flat-12 is an internal combustion engine in a flat configuration, having 12 cylinders.The flat-12 is wider than a V12...
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RSA The 1978 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 4 March 1978 at Kyalami.Both the Ferrari and Brabham teams had new cars in Kyalami for the race...
Ret |
USW The 1978 United States Grand Prix West was a Formula One race held on April 2, 1978 at Long Beach, California.__FORCETOC__-Summary:Carlos Reutemann took over at the halfway mark from Ferrari teammate Gilles Villeneuve, when the Canadian crashed out of the lead, and won by eleven seconds...
Ret |
MON The 1978 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 7 May 1978 at Monaco. It was won by Patrick Depailler of France, his first Formula One victory.-Report:...
Ret |
BEL -Report:The main news before the Belgian Grand Prix was that the new Lotus 79 was now ready to race, and immediately Mario Andretti showed its pace by taking pole comfortably from Carlos Reutemann and Niki Lauda...
4 |
ESP The 1978 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 4 June 1978 at Jarama.-Report:Once again the new Lotus 79 demonstrated its speed, with Mario Andretti on pole again with Ronnie Peterson alongside, and Carlos Reutemann having to settle for the second row...
10 |
SWEThe 1978 Swedish Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on June 17, 1978 at the Scandinavian Raceway; it was the eighth race of the 1978 Formula One season...
9 |
FRA The 1978 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 2 July 1978 at Paul Ricard.-Report:Following the banning of the "fan car", Brabham were forced to revert back to their previous car again, but it did not deter them, with John Watson on pole and Niki Lauda starting third behind Mario...
12 |
GBR The 1978 British Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 16 July 1978 at Brands Hatch.-Report:Lotus took the front row, with Ronnie Peterson beating Mario Andretti to pole, with Jody Scheckter next up on the second row. Andretti took the lead at the start from Peterson, and the two Lotus cars...
Ret |
GER The 1978 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 30 July 1978 at Hockenheimring.-Report:There were no surprises in qualifying, with Mario Andretti on pole and Ronnie Peterson alongside him, with Niki Lauda third. At the start, Peterson got off better and took the lead from Andretti, but he...
8 |
AUT The 1978 Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 13 August 1978 at Österreichring.-Report:The crowds for the Austrian GP were full of Niki Lauda fans; but however for them Lauda qualified only 12th as the Lotus cars again took the front row, with Ronnie Peterson on pole. The surprise in...
3 |
NED The 1978 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 27 August 1978 at Zandvoort.-Report:Qualifying was as expected, Mario Andretti taking pole with Ronnie Peterson alongside in the all-Lotus front row, and Niki Lauda heading the second row. At the start, Andretti led with Peterson following,...
6 |
ITA The 1978 Italian Grand Prix was the 14th race of the 1978 Formula One season. It was held on 10 September 1978 at Monza. It was marred by the death of Ronnie Peterson following an accident at the start of the race....
7 |
USA The 1978 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 1, 1978 at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course in Watkins Glen, New York...
Ret |
CAN The 1978 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 8 October 1978 at Montreal.- Pre-Race :Both championships were already sown up , so this, the final round, was a dead rubber in the 1978 title chase...
1 |
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| 1979 The 1979 Formula One season was the 30th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1979 World Championship of F1 Drivers and the 1979 International Cup for F1 Constructors which were contested concurrently over a fifteen round series which commenced on January 21, 1979, and ended on...
|
Scuderia Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
|
Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
312T3The Ferrari 312T was a Ferrari Formula One car design, based on the 312B3 from 1974. In various versions, it was used from 1975 until 1980. It was designed by Mauro Forghieri for the 1975 season and was an uncomplicated and clean design, that responded to mechanical upgrades.The 312T series won 27...
|
Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
Flat-12A flat-12 is an internal combustion engine in a flat configuration, having 12 cylinders.The flat-12 is wider than a V12...
|
ARGThe 1979 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 21 January 1979 at the Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez in Buenos Aires.- Classification :- Notes :* Lap Leaders: Patrick Depailler 10 laps ; Jacques Laffite 43 laps ....
Ret |
BRA The 1979 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 4 February 1979 at Interlagos.-Race report:The Ligier team dominated the race weekend with their superior ground-effect JS11...
5 |
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2nd |
47 (53) |
| Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
312T4The Ferrari 312T was a Ferrari Formula One car design, based on the 312B3 from 1974. In various versions, it was used from 1975 until 1980. It was designed by Mauro Forghieri for the 1975 season and was an uncomplicated and clean design, that responded to mechanical upgrades.The 312T series won 27...
|
Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
Flat-12A flat-12 is an internal combustion engine in a flat configuration, having 12 cylinders.The flat-12 is wider than a V12...
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RSA The 1979 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 3 March 1979 at Kyalami.- Classification :- Notes :* Lap Leaders: Jean-Pierre Jabouille 1 lap ; Gilles Villeneuve 39 laps ; Jody Scheckter 38 laps ....
1 |
USW The 1979 United States Grand Prix West was a Formula One race held on April 8, 1979 at Long Beach, California.__FORCETOC__-Summary:Canadian Gilles Villeneuve captured pole, fastest lap and the win for Ferrari, followed by teammate Jody Scheckter, as the Prancing Horses took a big step toward...
1 |
ESP The 1979 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 29 April 1979 at Jarama.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings...
7 |
BEL - Classification :- Notes :* Lap Leaders: Patrick Depailler 25 laps ; Jacques Laffite 12 laps ; Alan Jones 16 laps ; Jody Scheckter 17 laps .-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standings...
7 |
MON The 1979 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 27 May 1979 at Monaco.- Classification :- Notes :* Lap Leaders: Jody Scheckter 76 laps .* Last race - James Hunt-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standings...
Ret |
FRA The 1979 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 1 July 1979 at Dijon.It marked the first victory of a turbocharged car in Formula One, with Renault overcoming the reliability problems that had initially plagued their car...
2 |
GBR The 1979 British Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 14 July 1979 at Silverstone. It marked the Williams team's first GP pole position and win .- Classification :- Notes :...
14 |
GER The 1979 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 29 July 1979 at Hockenheimring.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings...
8 |
AUT The 1979 Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 12 August 1979 at Österreichring.- Classification :- Notes :* Lap Leaders: Gilles Villeneuve 3 laps ; Alan Jones 51 laps .* First pole position: René Arnoux-Standings after the race:...
2 |
NED The 1979 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 26 August 1979 at Zandvoort.-Summary:René Arnoux put his Renault on pole position but the slow start of the turbocharged car allowed Alan Jones to break free. Arnoux and Clay Regazzoni collided, eliminating the Williams on the spot while the...
Ret |
ITA The 1979 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 9 September 1979 at Monza.Monza was revamped for 1979, including a re-surfaced track; and run-off areas were added to the Curva Grande and the Lesmo Curves....
2 |
CAN The 1979 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 30 September 1979 at Montreal.During practice Niki Lauda announced his retirement from Formula One. Ricardo Zunino replaced him for the race. The organizers would not let the Alfa Romeo team compete unless they pre-qualified...
2 |
USA The 1979 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 7, 1979 at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course in Watkins Glen, New York...
1 |
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| 1980 The 1980 Formula One season was the 31st season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1980 World Championship of Drivers and the 1980 International Cup for F1 Constructors which were contested concurrently from January 13 to October 5 over a fourteen race series...
|
Scuderia Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
|
Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
312T5The Ferrari 312T was a Ferrari Formula One car design, based on the 312B3 from 1974. In various versions, it was used from 1975 until 1980. It was designed by Mauro Forghieri for the 1975 season and was an uncomplicated and clean design, that responded to mechanical upgrades.The 312T series won 27...
|
Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
Flat-12A flat-12 is an internal combustion engine in a flat configuration, having 12 cylinders.The flat-12 is wider than a V12...
|
ARGThe 1980 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on January 13, 1980 at the Autódromo Juan y Oscar Gálvez Circuit in Argentina. It was the first race of the 1980 Formula One season...
Ret |
BRA The 1980 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Interlagos on January 27, 1980.- Classification :-Notes:*Lap leaders: Gilles Villeneuve , Jean-Pierre Jabouille , René Arnoux...
16 |
RSA The 1980 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Kyalami on March 1, 1980.Alain Prost and Marc Surer both crashed in separate incidents during qualifying: Prost broke his wrist and Surer suffered serious injuries to his legs. Neither started the race, with Prost also missing...
Ret |
USW The 1980 United States Grand Prix West was a Formula One race held on March 30, 1980 at Long Beach, California.__FORCETOC__-Summary:Nelson Piquet took pole, fastest lap and his first career race win to dominate the weekend in his gleaming blue and white Brabham...
Ret |
BEL The 1980 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Zolder on May 4, 1980.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings...
6 |
MON The 1980 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monaco on May 18, 1980. It was won by Carlos Reutemann driving a Williams-Cosworth...
5 |
FRA The 1980 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Paul Ricard on June 29, 1980.Financial problems meant that this was the last race contested by the Shadow team.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standings...
8 |
GBRThe 1980 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Brands Hatch on July 13, 1980.This race proved to be Patrick Depailler's final Grand Prix...
Ret |
GER The 1980 German Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Hockenheimring on August 10, 1980. It was the ninth round of the 1980 Formula One season...
6 |
AUT The 1980 Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on August 17, 1980 at the Österreichring circuit in Austria. It was the tenth race of the 1980 Formula One season.- Classification :- Notes :*Milestones:...
8 |
NEDThe 1980 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on August 31, 1980 at the Circuit Zandvoort in the Netherlands. It was the eleventh race of the 1980 Formula One season.- Classification :- Notes :* Milestones...
7 |
ITA The 1980 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on September 14, 1980 at the Imola Circuit in Italy. It was the twelfth race of the 1980 Formula One season.- Classification :- Notes :* Milestones:...
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CAN The 1980 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on September 28, 1980, at the Montreal Circuit in Canada. It was the thirteenth race of the 1980 Formula One season.- Classification :- Notes :* Milestones:...
5 |
USAThe 1980 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 5, 1980 at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course in Watkins Glen, New York...
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12th |
6 |
| 1981 The 1981 Formula One season included the 32nd FIA Formula One World Championship season, which commenced on March 15, 1981, and ended on October 17 after fifteen races. Nelson Piquet won the Drivers' Championship, claiming the first of his three Formula One titles...
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Scuderia Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
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Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
126CK |
Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
V6 |
USW The 1981 United States Grand Prix West was a Formula One race held on March 15, 1981 at Long Beach, California.__FORCETOC__-Summary:Defending World Champion Alan Jones finished nine seconds ahead of teammate Carlos Reutemann, and won his first Long Beach Grand Prix, as the 1981 season finally began...
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BRAThe 1981 Brazilian Grand Prix was the second race of the 1981 Formula One season and was held on March 29, 1981 at Jacarepaguá in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.-Classification:Results from the 1981 Formula One Brazilian Grand Prix:- Notes :...
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ARGThe 1981 Argentine Grand Prix was the third race of the 1981 Formula One season and was held at the Buenos Aires circuit in Argentina on April 12, 1981. This was the last Argentine Grand Prix until the 1995 Argentine Grand Prix...
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SMR The 1981 San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Imola on May 3, 1981.The race was the first to bear the title "San Marino Grand Prix", although several non-championship Formula One races and the 1980 Italian Grand Prix had previously been held at the circuit.The Lotus team...
7 |
BEL The 1981 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Zolder on May 17, 1981.-Mechanic safety:The Belgian Grand Prix of 1981 was marred by two serious incidents involving mechanics, one fatal. In Friday practice a mechanic from the Osella team, Giovanni Amadeo, stumbled off the pitwall...
4 |
MON The 1981 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monaco on May 31, 1981.-Race:Nelson Piquet led for much of the race, but crashed out late on...
1 |
ESP The 1981 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on June 21, 1981, at the Circuito Permanente Del Jarama, Jarama, Spain.-Summary:...
1 |
FRA The 1981 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Dijon on July 5, 1981.- Classification :- Notes :*Alain Prost's first F1 victory*Race was stopped after 58 laps due to rain...
Ret |
GBRThe 1981 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Silverstone on July 18, 1981. John Watson won his first race for five years, and McLaren's first since James Hunt's victory at the 1977 United States Grand Prix...
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GER The 1981 German Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Hockenheimring on August 2, 1981. The race was notable for a memorable battle between Alain Prost and Alan Jones.-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standings...
10 |
AUT The 1981 Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Österreichring on August 16, 1981.The Fittipaldi team was not present because it did not have enough engines.- Classification :- Notes :*Pole position: René Arnoux - 1:32.018...
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NED The 1981 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Circuit Zandvoort on August 30, 1981.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings...
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ITA The 1981 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monza on September 13, 1981.- Classification :-Trivia:*John Watson had a huge accident at the Lesmo curves when he went wide coming out of the second Lesmo curve, touched the grass and spun across the track, and his carbon-fibre...
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CAN The 1981 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on September 27, 1981, at Montreal. Jacques Laffite won the race driving for Ligier. It would prove to be Ligier's last race win for fifteen years, until the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix...
3 |
CPL
DSQ |
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7th |
25 |
| 1982 The 1982 Formula One season was the 33rd FIA Formula One World Championship season. It commenced on January 23, 1982, and ended on September 25 after sixteen races. The World Drivers' Championship was won by Williams driver Keke Rosberg. Rosberg was the first driver since Mike Hawthorn in the 1958...
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Scuderia Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
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Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
126C2The Ferrari 126C was the car with which Ferrari raced in the 1981 Formula One season. The team's first attempt at a turbo engined Formula 1 car, it was designed by Mauro Forghieri and Harvey Postlethwaite and used between the 1981 and 1984 seasons....
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Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
V6 |
RSA The 1982 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Kyalami on 23 January 1982. Turbo-charged cars took the first six positions on the grid...
Ret |
BRA The 1982 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Jacarepaguá on March 21, 1982. It was the second round of the 1982 Formula One season....
Ret |
USW The 1982 United States Grand Prix West was a Formula One race held on April 4, 1982 at the temporary street circuit at Long Beach, California.__FORCETOC__-Summary:...
DSQ |
SMR The 1982 San Marino Grand Prix was the fourth race of the 1982 Formula One World Championship. It was held on the weekend of April 23–25, 1982 at the Autodromo Dino Ferrari, Imola...
2 |
BEL The 1982 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Zolder on May 9, 1982. It was the fifth round of the 1982 Formula One season.-Qualifying:...
DNS |
MON The 1982 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monaco on May 23, 1982.This was the first race following the death of Gilles Villeneuve at the Belgian Grand Prix; consequently Ferrari entered only one driver, Didier Pironi....
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CAN The 1982 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 13, 1982. Riccardo Paletti was killed at the start of the race, when his car ran into the back of the stationary Ferrari of Didier Pironi who had stalled on the grid...
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NED The 1982 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Circuit Zandvoort on July 3, 1982.Ferrari entered Patrick Tambay to replace Gilles Villeneuve, who had been killed during qualifying a few race weekends prior, at the Belgian Grand Prix....
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GBRThe 1982 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Brands Hatch on July 18, 1982.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings...
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FRA The 1982 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Paul Ricard on July 25, 1982. Six turbo-charged cars completed the first 6 grid positions, and 4 turbo-charged cars driven by 4 French drivers finished in the top 4 places, and the French Renault team finished 1-2 with René Arnoux...
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GER The 1982 German Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Hockenheimring on 8 August 1982. It was won by Patrick Tambay for Scuderia Ferrari.-Race report:...
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AUT The 1982 Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One World Championship race held on 15 August 1982 at the Österreichring in Spielberg, Styria, Austria. The race was won by Lotus' Elio de Angelis, who held off Keke Rosberg's Williams to win by just 0.050 seconds, or less than half a car length.- Report...
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SUI The 1982 Swiss Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Dijon-Prenois in France on August 29, 1982. This was the only win of the season for eventual World Champion Keke Rosberg.- Classification :-Standings after the race:...
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ITA The 1982 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monza on 12 September 1982.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings...
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CPL |
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15th |
6 |
Magazines
All Formula One race and championship results are taken from:
- Official Formula 1 website. Archive: Results for 1977 — 1982 seasons www.formula1.com Retrieved 6 February 2009
All Pre-Formula One race and championship results are taken from:
- Donaldson (2003) pp. 310–315
External links