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| Gilles Villeneuve |
Gilles Villeneuve
Born: 18 January 1950, St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Canada
Died: 8 May 1982
Grand Prix Starts: 67
Grand Prix Victories: 6
Points Total: 107
Gilles Villeneuve's early forays into four-wheeled motor sport began with Formula Ford, winning an invitation race in 1976, and a year later retaining his Canadian Formula Atlantic title...
At his F1 debut in the 1977 British GP he competed well, despite an ageing McLaren, and finished eleventh. McLaren chose to lose him and he was driving for Ferrari before the season was out, replacing Lauda.
His maiden victory came on home soil in the final round of the 1978 championship. The following year he took two victories at Kyalami and Long Beach, and added a third in the final race at Watkins Glen. Team-mate Scheckter already had the title in the bag by then, Villeneuve having to follow team orders, and he finished runner-up to him in the championship.
The 1980 Ferrari was a disaster, with Villeneuve scoring only 6 points, and his team-mate and reigning champion scoring just a couple. The 1981 model showed little improvement, but Villeneuve managed wins in Monaco and Spain to finish seventh overall.
At San Marino in 1982, Villeneuve was furious when his then team-mate Didier Pironi broke an agreement and passed him on the last lap. At the qualifiers for Zolder two weeks later, the feeling of resentment between the two was palpable. Villeneuve was determined to take pole and in so doing, struck Jochen Mass's March. He was hurled from his Ferrari and killed.