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"He left us because of something incomprehensible. His fatality has deprived us of a great champion, one that I loved very very much.
People used to say that one day he'll quit Ferrari but I never believed it because Gilles and I had formed such an affection for each other we were like father and son.
My past is scarred with grief ...father, mother, brother, sister, wife ...my life is full of sad memories. I look back and I see my loved ones ...and among my loved ones I see the face of this great man: Gilles Villeneuve."
- Enzo Ferrari on the death of Gilles Villeneuve
"Gilles has gone, and with him the light of genius in Grand Prix racing.
In time, of course, another star will emerge, but it will never twinkle with the same
intensity again. We are back to normality once more. The impossible cannot happen."
- Nigel Roebuck, Autocourse - 1982
" He's different from the rest of us, on a separate level ... "
- Jacques Laffite describing Gilles
" Gilles was the perfect racing driver ... with the best talent of all of us.”
- Niki Lauda
"I think I've proved that, in equal cars, if I want someone to stay behind me...
well, I think he stays behind..."
- Villeneuve discussing his disputed race with Pironi - Imola, 1982
"Italian Farewell" (1982) by Gavin MacLeod
"I don't have any fear of a crash. No fear of that. Of course, on a fifth gear corner with a fence
outside, I don't want to crash. I'm not crazy. But if its near the end of practice, and you're
trying for pole position maybe, I guess you can squeeze the fear ..."
- Gilles Villeneuve on Fear
"the High Priest of Destruction"
- as he was called by the commendatore himself, Enzo Ferrari
"He will remain as a member of the family of the truly great drivers in auto racing history. Mr Enzo Ferrari, who is an authority on these matters, has compared Villeneuve to Tazio Nuvolari. Nuvolari in my younger days was the great idol. All drivers wanted to equal the great Nuvolari. They struggled to match but could only imitate him. To be compared to Nuvolari is to receive the highest praise.
Villeneuve did not race to finish, he did not race for points. He raced to win. Although small in stature he was a giant."
- Juan Manuel Fangio
"Oh, I think he's superb, and I believe he'll get better and better. At the moment he still makes mistakes, misses the odd apex, gets up on a curb, uses a little too much road on the way out sometimes, but I'm being hypercritical here. His level of natural talent is
phenomenal - there's real genius in his car control."
- Jackie Stewart - commenting on Gilles during the middle of the 1979 season
"It's stange how the time flies... 20 years have gone by and I still can feel the incredible sensations I had when my father took me to watch the 1981 Spanish GP... That was the most perfect way to enter in the motorsport world..."
António Sousa
"For some of us, racing was never quite the same again. While Gilles didn't have the numbers of many others and some considered his style a conspicuous lack thereof, he almost made me imagine what it would have been like if Tazio Nuvolari had raced in the modern era. Tough as nails, foot to the floor, tail hung out through the corners, a great sportsman, a cheerful competitor, and a Racer. Perhaps he was already obsolete. But, to those of us who were fortunate enough to see him in action, he was what we always imagined a Racer should be.
He was fair and square and fun to watch. We already knew that we would never see his likes
ever again. I always imagined that only Bernd Rosemayer, Tazio Nuvolari, and Gilles could
wring the maximum out of an Auto Union type C or D... and that is exactly what he is doing."
Rest in Peace, Gilles... even after all these years you are missed.
- Don Capps - Atlas Formula One Journal
"Villeneuve was one of the major players in the sporting history of our Company,"
"I recall he was gifted with courage which seemed to have no limit. His sporting
achievements and his approach to life away from the race track endeared him,
not only to Ferrari followers, but also to all motor sport fans. We will never forget him."
- Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo - 05/08/2002
"Gilles was the last great driver. The rest of us are just a bunch of good professionals."
- Alain Prost
From the CBC Archives:
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Gilles Villeneuve: Racing at the speed of light
A collection of audio and video clips that chronical his life and racing career from humble origins
in a small Quebec town to win hearts around the world in the second most popular sport on earth.
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Click the image above to go there...
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Thierry Thompson
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Last Run
by Thierry Thompson
Gilles Villeneuve exiting the Ferrari 126, the car he drove at his last F1 race, the 1982 Belgium GP.
www.thierrythompson.com
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Tip Top
by Thierry Thompson
Gilles Villeneuve winning the 1982 Monaco GP in the Ferrari 126CK
www.thierrythompson.com
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That Day in the Rain at Watkins Glen
by Thierry Thompson
Gilles Villeneuve's famous victory in the rain
soaked 1979 USGP.
www.thierrythompson.com
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Rascal at Rascasse
by Thierry Thompson
Gilles Villeneuve negotiating Rascasse in the Ferrari 126C on his way to winning the 1981 Monaco GP.
www.thierrythompson.com
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At The Beach
by Thierry Thompson
Gilles Villeneuve in a power slide with
the Ferrari 312T5 during the 1979 Long Beach GP.
www.thierrythompson.com
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A note about the talented artist, who's images appear above...
Thierry Thompson
Thierry (pronounced "Terry") first caught my attention some years ago in a fairly new publication at that time called "Automobile Magazine". Within it's pages, was a brief article on the artist and his poignant image of Gilles titled " Last Run ". The picture immediately struck an emotional cord as it show Gilles climbing out of the cockpit of the 126C for the last time on that fateful day in Belgium. The red number 27 is symbolically parked with one wheel over the yellow pit line - a metaphor of his relentless drive to win at all cost, often crossing the line.
Gilles is Thierry's all time favorite subject to paint. If you are familiar with Thierry's works, you know that his amazing renditions of the cars he paints are usually the " hero ". The exception being, the images he creates of Gilles and the Ferraris he pilots. Gilles unbridled passion and enthusiasm for driving (Thierry was fortunate to have known Gilles personally) made him the focal point of these particular paintings; the " hero ". He captures the intensity and passion so perfectly you experience the perspective his compositions capture of the late Ferrari driver.
Each one of his creations is printed on the highest quality acid free paper using the finest hand mixed inks. Although, these seem like photographs, they are actually
airbrushed paintings. Only Thierry Thompson brings his work to life with special fluorescent colors.
All of Thierry's limited editions sell out, so if your are fortunate to come across one, buy it!
Be sure to visit his online gallery: www.thierrythompson.com
These fine online stores and galleries carry Thierry's exceptional artwork:
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Forza Gilles
by Juan Carlos Ferrigno
Gilles Villeneuve driving the Ferrari 126C during
the 1981 F1 season.
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1979 Ferrari 312T4 50th Anniversary in Polished Aluminum 
Gilles Villeneuve 's Racing Career Profile
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Seasons
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Races
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Wins
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Poles
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Fastest Laps
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Points
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F1 Titles
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6
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67
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6
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2
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8
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107
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—
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Villeneuve Timeline:
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1950 Born in St Jean sur Richelieu, Canada.
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1965 Debuted competitively in snowmobile racing.
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1973 Became Canadian snowmobile champion and used the prize money to buy a Formula Ford, winning Quebec series.
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1974 Moved up to Canadian Formula Atlantic series, missed races due to a broken leg.
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1975 Placed 5th in the Canadian Formula Atlantic series.
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1976 Champion - Canadian Formula Atlantic winning eight races, including the non-championship Trois-Rivieres street race, where his victory came at the expense of Formula One Jones, Hunt and Brambilla
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1977 2nd Championship - Canadian Formula Atlantic, racing additionally in the CanAm sports car series. Made his notable Formula 1 debut with McLaren at the British GP then signed up immediately by Ferrari to finish the last two races of the season.
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1978 Completed a full season with the Scuderia and demonstrated consistant improvement throughout the year, he scored his maiden victory at the closing race of the season: the Canadian GP placing 9th overall. He placed 2nd ath the Italian GP, but was penalized, along with the "victor", Mario Andretti, for jumping the start placing him 7th overall.
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1979 Won both the South African & US West GPs, setting himself as a one of the contenders for the WDC. This was not to be as he finished 2nd in the points to Ferrari team mate Jody Scheckter, this despite his astounding victory in the wet at the 2nd US GP at Watkins Glen.
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1980 The Ferrari was an ill-handling, tire-eating monstrosity in which he was able to wrestle only two 5th place finishes for the season.
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1981 The 126CK was an improvement over last years chassis. Though still not one of the best chassis on the grid, the turbocharged Ferrari had the power to compensate when needed. With the 126CK, Gilles took the victory at Monaco and at Spanish GP - placng 7th overall.
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1982 This year proved to be a trying year overall in F1. With the improved 126C2, Villenueve looked forward to more victories this year. At the San Marino GP, Gilles had the race in his pocket if it were not for the treachary bestowed upon him by team-mate Didier Pironi, who, despite team orders and reneging on a pre-race agreement with Gilles, passed him on the last lap - thus stealing the victory. During qualifying for the Belgian GP, he crashed and died in qualifying trying to beat Pironi for the pole.
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 ventisetterosso... one of the best tribute sites on the web
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