Gilles Villeneuve Artwork
“I was affectionate to him,” Enzo Ferrari wrote in his book about drivers. Gilles Villeneuve was the only driver about whom Enzo expressed this feeling. This is particularly important as Ferrari always said that his passion and aim was for his cars winning, regardless of the pilot.
He appreciated Gilles fast and furious driving attitude (“he reminds me of Tazio”), not only as a pilot never giving up during the race despite the position he was but also because, in Enzo’s words, Gilles could stress the car’s parts to the extreme of breaking, and sometimes beyond… thus guiding the technical designers where to improve it. His driving style was spectacular and evident over time to the fans and, by doing so, Gilles became their favorite. Thirty years later he is still known and loved, even by young people that never saw him racing. Even if he never won the Championship.
