Gilles Villeneuve’s 1978 winning car to get show drive by son at Canada GP
MONTREAL — It will be an special moment for Joann Villeneuve when her son Jacques leads out the field in her late husband’s Ferrari for the parade lap at the Canadian Grand Prix.
It was 40 years ago that Gilles Villeneuve became the only Canadian ever to win the Formula One race. The 1978 event was the first held on the track formerly known as Circuit Ile Notre Dame, which has since been renamed Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
“It brings back lots of emotions,” Joann Villeneuve said Thursday at a news conference held on the track.
After tracking down the car Gilles drove in that race, which was formerly owned by Pink Floyd drummer and racing enthusiast Nick Mason, Canadian GP promoter Francois Dumontier got the green light from F1 owner Liberty Media to let Jacques Villeneuve drive it in the parade lap just before the start of Sunday’s race.