Gilles Villeneuve

11/07/2001
James B.
Hello, I am trying to find the final resting place of Gilles Villeneuve. I have always assumed he remains at Berthierville where his funeral took place. But I have now been told his ashes were moved to a statue near the Ferrari test track. Could you help me? Thanks.

webmaster: According to the newspapers of that time, Gilles' ashes were taken in the Villeneuve's home in Monte-Carlo where Joanna lived in the past with Gilles. Now, I think the ashes are in Montréal where Gilles' wife lives at present. But the last one is only an assumption. In Berthierville cemetery there is only his Family tomb with his father's remains.

DUKE VIDEO
Formula Villeneuve. Available on DVD and VHS.

At the on-line bookstore of Amazon are still available the English version of the book written by Gerald Donaldson: "Gilles Villeneuve - The life of the legendary racing driver" and the book written by Nigel Roebuck: "Gilles Villeneuve - A photographic portrait". Let them not escape!

On the website of BRUMM, known Italian company scale model car, there is a collection dedicated entirely to the Ferrari Formula 1 cars driven by Gilles Villeneuve.

The Gilles Villeneuve's helmet and his Ferrari 126C2 made with cardboard.

06/03/2008
webmaster: On Saturday June 2nd, 2008, in the late afternoon Miss Georgette Coupal-Villeneuve, Gil's mother, passed away. After a long disease she died at the Joliette hospital, where she had been hospitalized since a few months. In the name of all Gilles's supporters we express our most sincere mourning. Below are some photos of the funeral ceremony in the presence, among others, of Joanna with her children Mélanie and Jacques Villeneuve.

06/04/2008
On Michel Vaillant's official website, the well-known driver of comic-strip created by Jean Graton, you can find the dossier dedicated to Gilles Villeneuve. At the moment it's available just in French and Dutch.

12/27/2008
The MG Model Plus, a valued Tuscan company of model cars, has begun the production and the distribution of models (1:43 scale) driven by Gilles Villeneuve before his debut in Formula 1. "Ventisetterosso" has been active partner of this initiative so that it would have a future and the first model available is the BMW 320i Gr.5, driven by Gilles with Eddie Cheever during "6 hours of Mosport" in 1977. In these first photos we can see some details that make the object a masterpiece that has to stay in every collection of cars driven by Gil. In a short time, even several version of the March Ford utilized by Villeneuve during Formula Atlantic's victorious years will follow. For further details you can contact info@ventisetterosso.it

04/17/2009
The group "Ventisetterosso", dedicated to Gilles, was created on Facebook. Whoever wants to share thoughts about this passion can subscribe on it and will be welcomed. We remind you that, before subscription, you must complete your registration to the social network.

05/11/2009
Mg Model Plus production of model cars driven by Gilles, before his career in Formula 1, still goes on. After BMW 320i Gr.5 driven together with Eddie Cheever (see above), here is the fantastic Direct Film March Ford 77B dated 1977. In particular, the model in 1:43 scale, shows the car that raced at Trois-Rivières and that won the Formula Atlantic championship the same year. For further details or to ask for information you can contact info@ventisetterosso.it

11/21/2009
The thirteenth edition of the "Marlboro Daily Mail Race of Champions" has been competed on April 15, 1979 on the English Brands Hatch circuit. This was an International competition of Formula 1 not valid for the World Championship and this was too the third trial in 1979's Formula Aurora. Some problems with United Kingdom customs in addition to the strike of the American airlines, prevented Williams, ATS, Ensign and Merzario from participating to this event. Qualifying and Formula 1 race were carried out together with the less competitive Formula Aurora single seaters under a scorching sun, a so unusual weather across the Channel. These Formula Aurora models had been used by British teams in previous Formula 1 seasons and granted to private teams playing a sort of national Championship. This was the third consecutive win in Formula 1 for Gilles wich, in those days, was the leader in Formula 1 drivers Championship. He won on a slightly modified Ferrari 312T3 with several changes to aerodynamics and to the cooling system. During the qualifying an oil filter collapsed and the exhaust pipe broke and probably all this cost him the pole position.

Gilles Villeneuve Memorabilia.

03/06/2010
Gilles Villeneuve museum Berthierville.
To commemorate the 25 years of the Berthier-Villeneuve Committee, the Gilles Villeneuve museum offers you a great news! A few days before the Formula 1 come back and to commemorate its 25 years of existence, the Berthier-Villeneuve Committee, organism that manages the Gilles Villeneuve museum in Berthierville, launches in world exclusivity a replica of the last Ferrari driven by Gilles Villeneuve, taking place in front of the Gilles Villeneuve museum and the miniature of the bronze monument of the late champion. It's a 1:43 scale reproduction numbered from 1 to 1000. The sale of this new box starts right now. To own this replica, call 1-800-639-0103 or 450-836-2714; you can also visit our web site at www.museegillesvilleneuve.com. Racing car fans and collectors that will get this special edition box of the Italian company Brumm, prepared exclusively for the Gilles Villeneuve museum, will at the same time participate to the 2010 fundraising campaign of the establishment until the end of April 2010. The Berthier-Villeneuve Committee is a no-profit organism helping the Gilles Villeneuve museum to grow for 25 years now. Only volunteers occupy administrator posts. Among the many realisations of this group created after Gilles Villeneuve's death in May 1982, note the Berthierville driver bronze monument creation, reproduced by Brumm in this special edition. The opening of the very first Gilles Villeneuve museum was in 1988 and the inauguration of the actual museum was in 1995. The life-size bronze monument of Gilles Villeneuve, installed years ago in Berthierville park, takes place now in front of the actual exposition. The original statue is the work of the well-known Quebec sculptor Jules Lasalle. Since its opening to the public, the Gilles Villeneuve museum welcomes more than 250.000 visitors coming from over 30 Countries. It's also possible to contribute to the fundraising campaign in becoming member of the Gilles Villeneuve museum: the form is also available on the organism web site.

01/15/2011
1977, Edmonton circuit (Canada) - A little curiosity:
Gilles normally drove the #69 March, but that weekend he had broken too much of his machinery and he had to take over his teammate Richard Spénard's #96 car to qualify.

06/04/2011
A star is left up there, in the sky. The star he was given as a present by a group of Venetian supporters, complete with a certificate in the special "Parisian register of the sky", at the 1981 Italian Grand Prix eve in Monza. The "Villeneuve" star has the following coordinates:

Constellation of Perseus
AD = 3h 21m 26,6s
De = +43° 19' 47"
Magnitude = 4,96

11/14/2011
From YouTube, one of the most beautiful videos, tribute to Gilles Villeneuve.

04/06/2012
March 76B Ford BDA - Formula Atlantic 1976. Handmade construction (1:43 scale), exclusive right for Ventisetterosso. For information and availability contact: info@ventisetterosso.it

10/27/2013
Webmaster:
Kindest Mr. Forghieri, I'm writing to you because I would be grateful if you could help me to solve an issue about the true name of the Ferrari which ran in the 1981 Formula 1 season.
Some say that only the car which debuted in Imola 1980 should be called 126C, while the 1981 F.1 Ferrari complete name, with the exception of Long Beach GP, where it had two names, CX and CK, in order to distinguish the different engines, was Ferrari 126CK. At this point, I would ask you a brief explanation so as to make clear this issue: 126C or 126CK?
I would really appreciate it and, knowing you as a kind person, I will be waiting for your answer.
Have a nice day.

Eng. Mauro Forghieri:
Kindest webmaster, the car name had been, at least for the Ferrari, 126C. Probably the press wanted to specify the two different engine versions, one composed by the KKK turbocharger, and the other by Brown Boveri Comprex system.
Best regards.